Unfaithful
by Brucatul-grl
Summary: A story of love, loss, circumstance, sacrifice… and an unfaithful lover Not your typical story… Brooke-centered; other main characters include Lucas, Nathan & Haley
1. Chapter 1

"Nathan, I thought we were going down to the cottage for Christmas, you promised," Haley whispered softly, as Nathan pulled out his suitcase. He didn't even have to pack anymore; there was an always packed suitcase in the back of their closet, ready for his impromptu business trips. Had he taken the time to look at his wife, he might've noticed the heart break in her eyes. But he didn't, he didn't realize how much his obsession with his business hurt her, he didn't realize that every time he put his work ahead of her, it chipped at her heart.

"I know babe, but this is important," He insisted as he crossed the hall to his study, Haley followed him, and stood in the doorway watching him shuffle through a stack of papers in frustration, "Where the fuck is the contract," He cursed under his breath, throwing papers to the floor that didn't meet what he needed.

"Nathan-…" Haley began in protest.

"What?!" He snapped, looking up at her angrily, "Its not like you have to clean this mess, we have servants so stop annoying me when I'm already so fucking frustrated!"

Haley stepped back as if he had hit her, "I just-…" She began look at her feet suddenly, she hated when he got like that, she hated when he took his frustrations from work, out on her, "Nate I just wanted to say, I don't-… is it really that important, can't it wait?" She asked hesitantly, "Can the trip wait, I was really looking forward to this Nate, we haven't been able to spend time together for a while now,"

Nathan's eyes softened, "Baby," He began, "You know how important this deal is to our business; if I don't go it could cost us a lot." He explained.

Haley nodded, "Yeah, you're right, I just_… I miss you that's all_," she whispered vulnerably.

"Oh fuck yeah! I found them, great, I can still make the flight!" he exclaimed looking down at his watch, he put them in his suitcase and was about to walk by her when he stopped and turned to her finally, "Don't be sad, I'll be back soon, it's only a matter of four months,"

Haley's eyes moistened and her hand rested lightly on the bump on her stomach, "But I'll be close to my due date by then," She whispered hurt.

Nathan looked down at the bump, "I know, I hired the best care in the world to take care of you babe, you'll be fine I promise, they will do anything to make sure your comfortable, any cravings, any movie you want to watch, anything you want, they'll be here I promise." He said, and before she could reply, he leaned in and kissed her forehead quickly, "I gotta run, take care," He said quickly, before grabbing his cell from his back pocket, leaving her standing by the doorway to the study.

"_What if I want my husband," _She whispered sadly.

The water was slowing her down tremendously, but she still tried her hardest to run towards the shore, she knew he was gaining on her and she would have to pick up speed to avoid him. She was so close; the water was to her thighs now, and just when she thought she had gotten away she felt a pair of muscled arms wrap around her waist, a little shriek leaving her lips as her back crushed against his chest, and both bodies fell back into the water.

Both of them broke the surface again, seconds later coughing out the water and rubbing their eyes. Brooke turned to her attacker laughing, "Asshole," She scolded as she playfully shoved him away from her.

He grinned back mischievously, "I wouldn't be so disrespectful if I were you,"

"Well you're not me, so fuck you," She answered with a raised brow.

Before she knew it, he had grabbed her wrists and crushed her against his hard chest, "Sorry, what was that?" He asked smugly.

Brooke tried to pull away, but now his arms were securely around her waist and there was no way she would be able to break free, not that she really wanted to.

There was a momentary pause as their eyes remained locked; Brooke could feel her heart beating almost crazily, "Let go of me," She insisted, but she knew it sounded weak to even her own ears.

"No," He whispered, they were so close now that she could almost feel his lips brush hers when he spoke.

"Why not?" She asked, her eyes trailing down to his lips. She prayed that he couldn't feel how embarrassingly fast her heart was going.

"Because I don't want to… and you don't want me to either," He answered smugly, his eyes on her plumb lips, and his tongue darted out licking his lips slightly, and this action almost made Brooke squeal.

"Luke…" She began, but before she knew it a roguish smile grew on his lips and his arms left her waist and he submerged in the water.

Brooke's mouth fell as she looked around, disappointment weighing down her racing heart, "Lucas!" She muttered under her breath, but before she could look for him, she felt arms encircle her ass and before she knew it she was being picked off the ground and she let out a startled scream. The water was at his mid chest as he stood up, and he grinned up at her as her arms draped around his shoulders holding onto him, she looked down at him so that their faces were inches apart, "Luke-…"

But before she could finish he leaned up and captured her lips with his, silencing the rest of her sentence, and Brooke responded so quick, it was like she had been waiting months for this… which she had been. Her arms wrapped tightly around his neck, and she leaned down some more as he deepened the kiss, his tongue flicking against her lips and hers parted to allow entrance. They both clung to each other, equally trying to pull the other closer against them, urgency in their joined lips, tongues battling for dominance. Any onlooker would see the pair pressed tightly against each other, his arms wrapped around her lower back lifting her slightly in the air, her arms wrapped tightly around him, one hand somewhat grabbing at a fistful of hair, passion radiating out of them almost as if they were making love.

The truth was, the two of them have been longing for each other for a while now, but it had always been the wrong time to be together. It began from them competing from the same job, and led to Brooke working for him. While it began with the two hating each others guts, the sexual chemistry had been there from the beginning, but as they spent more and more time together, it got harder and harder to resist. But it wasn't only the physical attraction either, the day she had accidently ease dropped on him defending her to a co-worker she knew, that she was completely in love with this guy;

_Brooke readjusted her hair as she made her way toward Lucas's office, she had realized that the stack of folders she had given him this morning from yesterday's meeting had been one short, so she made her back to his office and she felt the familiar flutter in her heart. She felt like an idiot every time she got a buzz of excitement at the prospect of being in the same room as him. They had been harmlessly flirting back and forth for a while now, and it had a certain thrill to it that she couldn't describe. The way that he looked at her sent a chill up her spine, and the way their hands would linger seconds longer then they needed to when in any sort of contact, whether it be handing him and folder or passing him a cup of coffee._

_Speaking of coffee, she should probably drop by the staff room and grab him a cup; maybe they could drink coffee together? Yeah she should grab them both a cup and he might ask her to sit down. 'Oh god, Brooke, you're pathetic,' she scolded herself. Forget it, grab yourself coffee, and pass him his folder, if he asks you to get him a cup THEN get it for him. He would ask if he wanted you to stay and have coffee with him, and he won't if he's busy, this is a full proof plan where she wouldn't look desperate or pathetic._

_Brooke made her way toward the staff room but stopped in her tracks when she heard two people talking… about her._

"_Seriously man, you should see my fucking assistant, she's a fat mother of five! Your fucking lucky to have some next model chick as yours, I would so take advantage of that man, make her stay late one night and have her on the desk or something," One voice said, and she recognized him as Gary from a few units down, he was the manager of the HR department._

_Lucas snorted, "Shut up man," _

"_No seriously, that bitch looks like she needs a good fucking man, she walks around so all mighty, I would love to be the one to take some of that arrogance out of her, and she's fucking hot man, seriously, slut needs a good fucking I tell yo,"_

_Brooke frowned disgusted, it hurt that they would talk about her like that, she expected better from Lucas, she expected more from him… she felt her vision blur and Brooke knew tears would soon follow so she turned to leave;_

"_Gary, shut the fuck up man, you don't know Brooke Davis so I'd suggest you keep your mouth shut," Lucas said sternly, his voice strained with anger._

_Brooke stopped in her tracks, her mouth falling open slightly, turning back around slowly._

"_Dude relax, why are you getting so worked up," _

"_Listen 'dude', I respect Brooke Davis, and I'm not okay with hearing you talk about her like she's some next slut, you don't know anything about her, and she's ten times better then anything or anyone you'll ever know. But I don't need to defend her to you, just know that the next time her name comes outta your mouth, you'll deal with me," _

_Brooke felt her heart melt and before she knew it, a tear had escaped her eyes and trailed down her cheek. No one had ever defended her like that, no one had ever said that they respected her behind her back, he looked at her like he wanted to eat her, and that sent a thrill through her, but she did not expect for him to actually care about her, because that did something else entirely to her. She had never felt the emotion buzzing through her chest before, and Brooke knew that it wasn't pure lust or infatuation that she felt for him… she totally, and irrevocably loved this guy._

"Luke, stop," Brooke whispered, pulling away, both bodies breathing hard trying to regain their breath, as much as Brooke wasn't sure if she'd be able to stop herself, or how much it would break her heart if he stopped, Brooke had always been a girl with morals regardless of what anyone said, and she knew the company policy and she knew that this could cost Lucas his job.

Lucas ignored her, now Brooke's legs had been wrapped around his waist and he just pulled her tiny waist more tighter against him as his lips attached to her neck, urgently sucking at the flesh his mouth covered, Brooke moaned in pleasure, and the fist encircled around his hair half heartedly attempted to pull his head away, "Luke, your job, we can't do this, and… I can't be a one time thing, that's not me," She whispered.

He finally pulled away and looked up at her, and Brooke tried her best to mask her vulnerability, "Brooke, I would never want a one time thing with you, I care about you Brooke Davis, more then you know, and about the job, we'll work something out, I want to be with you,"

Brooke signed in relief and a half smile played on her lips, and this time she leaned down and covered his lips, passion and urgency in her kiss as she wrapped her arms tighter around him, not that there was much room between them, their bodies were pressed so tightly against each other that it was almost impossible to breath as they two attacked each others lips as if it was their only source of oxygen. His hands cupped her ass securely, as he walked towards the shore with her on top of him, pushing against the force of the water before he finally had her at shore and he kneeled down on the sand before finally laying back with Brooke straddling his waist. Brooke finally pulled her lips away, "Luke," She moaned, _she wanted him so bad that she was ready to rip off his clothes right there and then, but this wouldn't really help their 'work situation' if anyone saw them doing it on a public beach. _

"Brooke," He groaned almost painfully, _he needed her so fucking bad right now, after months of flirting and resisting, he couldn't take it anymore, but he respected her, and doing it on a public beach was not the classiest way to show her he cared about her. Plus, they still had a lot to work out with the job thing._

Brooke's leaned down, nibbling his earlobe affectionately, purring slightly, causing Lucas to flip them over so he was covering her, before growling at her in return, _"I want you so bad,"_ She moaned.

"Stop saying that," He whispered, his hands sliding down her naked sides before his thumbs curled into the string of her bikini bottom, "Or I'm not gonna be able to control myself," He managed between gritted teeth, causing Brooke to feel hot all over. She couldn't help but press her hips against his almost urgently.

"Luke," She whimpered painfully, and as his mouth began to lower towards hers, a wave of cold water crashed onto the sand, covering both of them for a couple of seconds, drenching them again with the cold water, and Lucas stopped midway, "Ok I needed that," he laughed, before his fists dug into the sand by the two sides of her waist before pushing himself up and off her. She could tell that it was hard for him to do that, and it made her want him more.

But Brooke gritted her teeth to calm her racing heart and subside her longing for him, and took the hand he offered her, sparks flying with the simplest touch, as he helped her up, "Now go cover yourself up before I can't hold myself back any longer," He whispered, grinning mischievously.

It took a second for Brooke to plaster the smirk across her lips, leaning in and capturing his lower lip between his teeth seductively, before turning to walk away, purposely swaying her hips before him, moments later she half turned to find his jaw hanging open and his eyes unable to tear away from her, and she winked laughing.

"Oh fuck this, _get over here!_" He growled deeply, making towards her causing Brooke to squeal, breaking into a run.

**Two Months Later… **

"HALEY!!" Brooke screamed at the top of her lunges when Haley got out of the car, one hand holding her bulging stomach while the other balanced herself against the window frame of the door, "Oh my god, Haley, Haley, _Haley!"_ Brooke sang, as she ran down her porch steps and came to a halt just in front of her sister, before looking at her with eyes wide open, "How should I… can I hug you?" Brooke asked nervously, causing Haley to smile affectionately.

"Yes Brooke, you can hug me," Haley nodded, but leaned back when Brooke raised her arms happily, "BUT, be very gentle," She warned mockingly.

Brooke laughed, wrapping her arms lightly around her, before leaning to be face to face with the huge bump, "Hey little one's, you two should be coming out very soon, and then your aunt Brooke is going to spoil the shit- oops, I mean, spoil my little two munchkins like a crazy women," She promised, before leaning in and kissing the bump with a grin.

Haley laughed, as Brooke stood back up to face her sister with a huge grin, "Brooke, you'll never change will you," She whispered affectionately, before cupping her cheek affectionately, "I missed you little B,"

Brooke's smile softened, "I missed you too H, it's been so long, I missed you so much, much more then I can explain," She whispered, her eyes beginning to glisten slightly.

Haley nodded, _the truth was, ever since she had been married, she hadn't been able to come back to Tree Hill because of how hectic Nathan's schedule's been. And Brooke was in her last year of university, and quickly followed to her summer internship and had been too busy to make the five hour trip to Haley's. It had been a year since she'd seen her little sister, and only god knew how much she missed her family._

Brooke put her arms around Haley again, before planting a kiss on her cheek happily, but before she could pull away, Haley heard her mom.

"_Oh my baby!"_ Victoria screamed, from the stairway inside, tears already brimming from her eyes as she made for the doorway.

Haley's face lit up as she met her mom half way in a loving embrace, "Mom! Oh mom, I missed this so much," She sighed, relishing the feel of her moms embrace.

"My baby girl," She whimpered, as she pulled away and cupped Haley's face between her hands and looking at Haley as if drinking in the sight with her eyes, she kissed Haley's forehead lovingly, before looking down at her huge stomach, "My little grandchildren," She said in awe, her hands touching the roundness, her eyes brimming with new tears.

Brooke, who had been quietly watching from the doorway, finally stepped forward and put an around Haley's shoulders, "That's right mom, we have two new additions to the family coming soon!" She grinned.

Her mom smiled at Haley, "I was so happy to find out you were pregnant, and overjoyed at getting a grandchild, but I didn't even imagine I'd be getting _two!_ I'm so excited baby girl, I'm _twice _as happy!" She grinned.

Haley smiled, her hands wrapping protectively around her stomach, almost in habit, "Where's dad?"

Brooke rolled her eyes, "Where else?"

"The office," Haley sighed knowingly, _their dad wasn't much different from Nathan; in fact she had met Nathan because of her dad. John was just as involved and obsessive with his company as Nathan, they were actually each others biggest rivals before at a social gathering, Nathan lay his eyes on Haley, and now the two companies were partners, controlling the whole industry together. But that just meant that her dad was in the office pretty much all day, and just as completely absorbed._

Haley sighed, "I'll go meet him upstairs,"

Later on that night the two sisters finally got more time alone as they sat in their old room together, where their beds were diagonal from each others, and there was a huge computer desk in one corner.

Haley sat, leaning against her headboard with a pillow propped in between, "Ok, so tell me about this new job, _why the hell are you working as an assistant when you can be working as a vice in dad's company?!_" Haley asked incredulously.

Brooke laughed at Haley's shock, laying on her stomach, with her feet toward her head rest, propped up with her elbows, "I know, it doesn't make too much sense, but it's like… like we're so blessed you know, we've always gotten everything we've ever wanted, the best schools, the best clothes, the best cars, everything. Everything was always handed to us… you even had your husband handed to you,"

Haley raised a brow, "And?"

"I'm not saying it's a bad thing, I mean you got a crazy rich guy with a _huge _mansion, and he's as hot as fuck!" Brooke added slyly, before leaning up a little more seriously, "But it's like, we've always had everything handed to us, I just don't want my career handed to me as well, you know. I want to do this myself, I want to make a career on my own, the normal way, I want to _work _for it; I want to _earn _it you know?" She explained, looking up at her sister, but when Haley didn't reply, Brooke continued quickly, "I know this might sound totally crazy and all, I just-…"

"No, Brooke," Haley interrupted, "I'm just so in awe. I never ever imagined something like this from you, you've always been daddy's spoiled little girl that took everything for granted, we've both been-…"

"No Haley, don't put yourself in that category, you've always been amazing, you've never been like me, you always appreciated what you got, you always treated our parents so nicely, you've always been the perfect girl H, and you know it,"

"Brooke-…" Haley said, about to protest before Brooke cut in again.

"Ok cut the saint crap, jeez. You were, and I know mom and dad always loved you more because of how ideal you were-…"

"They didn't love me more-…"

"Yes they did. I'm not saying they didn't love me, because obviously they did, I know that. It's just, I've always been the taker, and I took it all for granted, as if I deserved it for being born into this family, but _you_, you've always been the giver. You always knew from right and wrong, you never let mom and dad shower you with gifts like they did for me, you always sat with mom and cared about things like her day, her feelings, her opinions, and you even became dads confidant, his best friend. And truthfully, I always looked up to you, and I always felt like you were too good for me, you know?" Brooke insisted, and when she saw Haley's eyes tear up, she quickly continued, "And I feel like, that by being someone others can be proud of too, I'll finally make myself proud, _and I'll deserve to be called your sister_,"

And before Brooke knew it, Haley was climbing out of her bed with a wet face and filled eyes with her arms outstretched, "C'mere, little one," She managed between blubbers of chocked tears.

Haley came and took a seat next to her before gathering her into her arms, Brooke hugged Haley's waist, her head resting in her laps beside the bump as Haley ran her fingers through Brooke's hair, "Little B, you do know that you're already an _amazing _girl," And when Brooke was about to protest, Haley hurried on to explain, "You've always taken life with a huge grin on her lips, you've never let anything put you down, you've always stood up for what you believe in and for your family, you have so many things that make you stand out Brooke, I've always been the shy one that took what life gave her, unlike you, you made your own rules and when life tried to pull you down, you knew how to kick your way out. You are an awesome sister, and you don't need to change yourself for _anyone_, you hear?" She whispered, looking at her sister's face in admiration, "And if you do this, 'get your own career' thing, I want you to do it only for _you_, and I'm so proud of you Brookie, _I love you_,"

Brooke's eyes brimmed with tears as well, as she sat up cross legged, "I knew pregnancy is suppose to make the girl emotional, but why the hell is it effecting the girls _sister_, jeez," Brooke said, laughing between the tears sliding down her cheek.

Haley's hand reached out to wipe the tears from Brooke face, and Brooke smiled before taking both of her hands to wipe the puddle off Haley's face, completely soaking her hand in the process, "Shit women," Brooke teased, causing Haley to giggle.

"Ah," Haley winced, and they both automatically looked down at her bulging stomach, "That one's a kicker," She said affectionately.

"Which one?" Brooke asked, looking up in awe, "You can tell the difference?"

"Yeah, I know where both are positioned, and I'm telling you, this one to this side, is a _kicker_, while the other one is a little more gentle with mommy," Haley grinned.

"Can I feel?" Brooke asked.

Haley grinned, before guiding Brooke's hand to the right place, "Press down slightly,"

Brooke did as she was told, and sure enough after a few moments she felt another kick, "_Oh shit_," Brooke exclaimed, "She's a fighter!"

"Reminds me of someone else I know," Haley said, grinning slyly.

Brooke looked up suddenly, "Me?" She asked excited.

Haley laughed, "I think I already know the names,"

"No way!" Brooke exclaimed, "No _way_, you're shitting me! Tell me, _tell me!"_

"Well I need to run this by Nathan first, but I'm thinking of naming our fighter girl, _Brookie_, and my lazy son, _Hale_,"

Brooke was quiet for a few moments, her eyes opened wide and her mouth hanging.

"Uh Brooke?" Haley asked after a few seconds, "Brooke can you hear me?" She asked patting Brooke's cheek lightly.

Brooke's eyes fluttered open and closed, _"Hale,"_ Brooke whimpered.

"_Haaaaaaaaaale!!" Brooke wailed loudly, "HALE!" _

"_What's wrong Brooke?" Haley asked running down the porch steps to find her 5 year old sister beside her fallen three wheeler on the sidewalk, clutching her knee with huge droplets of tears running down her face, "Oh my god, let me see," the 8 year old Haley insisted pulling at Brooke's hand covering the knee,, but Brooke wouldn't move it, "I need to see it!"_

_Brooke continued to cry loudly, one hand rubbing at her eye, while the other clutched her knee, "HALE!" She screamed between sobs._

_Haley finally managed to pull the hand away from her knee to find the tiniest of scraps there, with just a drop of blood squeezing out, and Haley sat back relieved, "Are you serious?" _

"_It hurts so much Hale!" Brooke cried, and when she didn't feel like Haley was showing the right amount of sympathy, she covered her face and cried louder._

"_Okay, come inside, let's put a bandage on,"_

"_I can't move!" Brooke sniffed, looking at her sister with puppy eyes._

_Haley broke into a smile, "C'mere Brookie," She said, before helping Brooke onto her back and slowly piggybacking her back up her porch steps._

_Brooke grinned, tightly holding onto Haley's shoulders, "I lowe you Hale,"_

"_I 'lowe' you too, Brookie," Haley smiled._

"Are you actually serious?" Brooke asked, tears falling from her eyes again, her throat clogging up.

"Yeah, I can't think of any names better,"

Brooke broke into a tearful giggle, "_Brookie _and_ Hale? _You know they're going to hate you right?"

Haley giggled through her new batch of tears as well, "Yeah well, the morning sickness I go through? I think its fair,"

Brooke made a face, and Haley just rolled her eyes laughing. _It was so nice just sitting and laughing with Brooke, she hadn't felt this carefree and happy since her honeymoon. _Haley's laughter disappeared and her smile dropped the second she brought Nathan back into her main focus.

Brooke who knew her sister better then anyone and could read her like a book sighed, leaning back against her headboard, "So how long is the hubby gone for now?" Brooke asked with a raised brow, _Brooke made it no secret how much Nathan being away from Haley all the time bothered her. _

"Brooke," Haley sighed, _"It's only two more months,"_

"Yeah but it's your crucial months Hales," Brooke insisted incredulously, "I don't understand how you're okay with this?"

Haley sighed, getting up and absentmindedly playing with the blinds by the window, "He had to go, he didn't want to," Haley insisted, looking out into the darkness. _Truth was, these last two months had been hell for Haley. She felt so lonely and abandoned that she sometimes felt suffocated in that huge mansion, _"He wouldn't of left if he had a choice,"

"Like _hell_ he had to do," Brooke muttered, "It really gets to me how you let him treat you like that. _Which husband leaves his wife the four months before her due date?" _

Brooke sighed when Haley didn't acknowledge her question, _no matter how much Haley tried to hide it, Brooke could see through Haley's façade. She looked so worn out and tired and lonely, that Brooke's heart ached. How could anyone put up with such a man?_

"You don't understand Brooke, I know a lot of the things he does might make you doubt the type of person he is, but you don't know him like I do, he has a heart of gold, he just doesn't show it so often," Haley insisted sincerely, "But trust me, he's one of the greatest people I've ever met. He cares about me, he just… he just has other responsibilities too," Haley explained, _things were great with Nathan when they were together at the beginning, they had gone to their honeymoon, he had taken a whole month off, and that time had been the best time of her life, he was such a romantic, she had never seen that side of him before and she had fallen even more in love with him. It was just really rare to see those sides of him, but when she saw it, she knew that this was one of the most caring, loving and one of the greatest guys she's even known. But of course they didn't get to stay the whole month, and they had to return for a crucial business meeting. He was busy a lot, but she knew he loved her, and he never did it to hurt her._

Brooke watched the conflict on her pain as she clutched her stomach more protectively and just shook her head; _his other responsibilities should never come before you or your children, Haley._

Haley snapped out of it and quickly turned around to face Brooke with a genuine smile, "So tell me about this Lucas guy,"

Brooke who had crawled back onto her stomach, quickly flipped around onto her back happily, "_Lucas,"_ She grinned sheepishly.

"I already _know _his name," Haley teased, "Tell me more about him,"

"Well, he's my boss first of all,"

Haley's eyes widened, "Brooke, _you're screwing your boss!" _

Brooke got up and looked at her, "Hales! It's not like that!"

Haley raised a brow, "So your _not _screwing your boss?"

"Well, it _is _like that, but not in that icky, trashy way. I _love _him, Hales," Brooke admitted shyly, "I can't imagine a day in my life without him. You need to meet him, he's honestly so… _ugh_, you know, but in the _good_ way. Like I just love this guy with my whole heart, the way he _looks _at me Hales, the way he _cares _for me, the way he _talks _to me, the way he fucking _touches_-…"

"Ok, too much information," Haley interrupted, making a face.

Brooke giggled, "No but seriously Haley, everything about him, _I just completely and utterly love him_,"

"I really want to meet him now," Haley smiled, surprised at the intensity of Brooke's feelings, Brooke wasn't the type to throw around the word _love, _and the fact that it was even being spoken from her lips was a huge deal right now.

"Good, because we're having dinner with him tomorrow!" Brooke informed slyly.

Haley opened her mouth startled, "_Brooke!_"

Brooke laughed, "Uh… surprise?"

Haley shook her head smiling, "And how does it effect your work atmosphere, I can't believe they're letting you two work together still!"

Brooke blushed, and looked away.

"Brooke," Haley said sternly.

Brooke pretended to busy herself with her nails.

"_BROOKE? _Tell me your company is informed of this relationship?" Haley asked incredulously.

"Well… not _exactly_, its just we haven't figured that out. The departments we're both in right now, and working directly together… is _convenient_,"

Haley made a face, "I can't believe you,"

Brooke sighed, "I know, we will tell them eventually, but we just want to enjoy this time together. We're nearing busy season and once we get there, we'll _never _see each other if we're not working in the same department! We just plan to get through this one busy season and then we'll come clean! _I promise!"_

"You realize this could cost you or him, or _both _your jobs right, if you get caught without telling them first," Haley warned logically.

"Well I'm going to be there tomorrow, so drop by anytime and check out the office. You'll see, we're very good!"

Haley shook her head, but the puppy eyes and pouted lips Brooke made at her made her smile.

They talked until Brooke passed out, and Haley still sat up against her headrest holding her stomach, the words of the doctor echoing in her head…

Brooke piled together the last stack of papers, stabling them in her arms carefully, motioning for Sarah to hold open the door for her in the copying room. Then Brooke proceeded to slowly make her way towards Lucas's office, making sure the pile of papers didn't topple over.

Brooke saw Gary walking past, turning to call out after another co-worker, Brooke 's other hand huddled over her work protectively, "Gary, watch out," she called when he was a few steps away from her, avoiding collision at the last second. Brooke breathed out in relief; _that was close._

_Now just get this pile on the desk safely Brooke, step by step, you can do it, _Brooke guided herself slowly towards the office, she has been known to being clumsy around the office, and Brooke had to prove herself, she could do this, she could carry a simple stack of papers from one room to another without dropping it, _easy, just a few more steps Brooke. _

Brooke tapped on Lucas's door with her heel, hoping he'd get the hint. When it didn't open, Brooke sighed, turning around and using her back to push open the door while protectively holding the heavy stack.

"Mr. Scott, I-…" Brooke began, but felt a hand encircle her wrist and she was pulled to the side so fast, the breath was sucked out of her and the stack of papers she worked so hard to hold, went flying out of her hands, and when she was about to let out a startled scream, her mouth was covered with a strong hand as her back hit the wall with a little thump. Brooke opened her eyes to stare back at a familiar pool of blues.

Brooke couldn't help but glare as the papers flew around the room, lazily finding their way to the ground, every which way, "_Luke!_" She muttered, pushing him away from her but he didn't budge, except to move his foot backwards to nudge the door closed.

He leaned in closer smugly, "It's _Mr. Scott_ to you…" but then his mouth lowered to nibble on her ear, "…or you can just call me, _Sir,_" he growled.

Brooke couldn't help but feel a hotness spread through her, _she couldn't help the effect he had on her, she never could,_ but she was still annoyed with the floor of white paper surrounding them, so she resisted by trying to push him away still_, "Stop,"_

"No,"

"Luke," Brooke objected, her hands pushing at his chest.

"_Call me Sir,"_ He growled, keeping her trapped against the wall with his body.

"_No_," She glared; trying to ignore the feeling his wandering hands were sending throughout her body. His hands made their way up from her waist to right below her breasts.

"Say it," He demanded urgently, grabbing her bottom lip gently between his teeth.

Brooke moaned in pleasure, it was getting harder and harder to pretend like she didn't want him to take her up against the wall right then and there, and before she knew it, her body betrayed her, and as he led her arms to his shoulders, she found herself wrapping her legs around his waist, and he stabled her by squeezing her tighter between him and the wall, _"Sir,"_ She moaned urgently, seconds before his lips crushed hers in a heated kiss.

Before she knew it, his hands were on her blouse, ripping it open and Brooke vaguely recalled her buttons going flying, but she didn't have enough time to think, before his hands were on her covered breasts and his face had dug into her neck. Brooke could only grab at a fistful of hair and moan passionately at the sensations his simplest touch could send throughout her body.

He had her squeezed against the wall behind her, one hand cupping her ass as the other was on her chest, doing things that made Brooke groan in desire, as her fist holding his hair pushed his head deeper into her neck, while the other clawed passionately at his back.

"_Oh god Luke, I need you so bad,_" Brooke moaned as she grinded her hips against his crotch, causing a deep growl to escape his lips as he sucked on the flesh between her shoulder and neck, his hands sliding under her bra.

"Uhm excuse me is Broo-… BROOKE?!"

Lucas half turned and Brooke caught the sight of Haley's wide eyes on them, "_OH MY GOD, HALEY!" _Brooke hissed, as Lucas moved to let Brooke down, and Brooke quickly pulled the two sides of her ripped blouse closed in front of her.

"Oh my god!" Haley quickly shut the door behind her, before a scene was created, "What the _hell? _So much for drop in whenever_, we're so good!" _

Brooke blushed and Lucas looked from sister to sister awkwardly, "Uh… hi, I'm the other part of the "_we_", Lucas, _Lucas Scott_," He smiled awkwardly putting out a hand to shake, but Haley just stared at it making a face, and Lucas recalled back to where his hand was 20 seconds ago before stuffing it in his suit pocket, "Uh _hi_," He said sheepishly.

Brooke winced, "Haley, I'm sorry, this isn't how it is, we just… uh honestly-…"

"Yeah this was my fault, I'm sorry; Brooke had nothing to do-…"

"Oh save it you two, next time, _at least _lock the door you horny kids," she muttered rolling her eyes.

Lucas's eyes widened, and Brooke let out a stifled laugh, causing Haley to laugh as well, "Ok so awkward way to meet, but hey, I'm Haley, Brooke's older sister, and you are her boss, aka her boyfriend, pleasure to meet you," Haley teased.

Lucas chuckled, reddening slightly, "Nice to meet you too,"

"Alright I'm going to wait outside for you two," Haley smiled.

"Oh no, Haley, we're coming with you now, we can just sign out-…" Brooke began, following Haley toward the door.

"I know, I know, but I thought this relationship was , so it probably won't help if you came outside with a ripped blouse and messy hair," Haley teased, causing Brooke to look down at her ripped top blushing.

"Do you need my sweater or something?" Haley asked.

"Don't worry about it, Haley, we always have one ready," Lucas grinned slyly, opening his bottom drawer to pull out another blouse.

Haley's mouth fell open and Brooke shrugged sheepishly.

Haley shook her head, "Ok, I'm going to wait for you two downstairs,"

As soon as she closed the door behind, Lucas chuckled before passing Brooke the blouse, but just as he turned to grab his jacket Brooke grabbed his arm and pulled him around, before shoving him against his desk, "Where do you think you're going _sir?_" She whispered hoarsely, pushing her chest seductively up against him, and her hands slowly making her way down to his pants.

His eyes widened in surprise, "Brooke-…" he began, when Brooke began giggling uncontrollably, and pulled away.

"I wish I could've recorded your face right now," She mocked, laughing uncontrollably, and mocking the look of surprise on his face, _it was so cute, such an innocent wide eyed look that she couldn't resist laughing, _but it was short lived, because before she knew it one arm had wrapped around her waist and he had picked her up and turned her around, placing her at the edge of his desk, and his mouth lowered to suck at the exposed skin around her bra as he ripped the torn blouse completely off her, while he pushed apart her knees, his pelvis pressing against her.

Brooke let out a breathless hiss as she wrapped her arms around his neck, her hips immediately reacting by grinding against him. But just as she reacted, he pulled away, leaving her huffing and puffing, and her eyes open in shock, _"Bastard,"_ She muttered when she realized his ploy.

He winked at her, "Let's go, Haley's waiting for us," He grinned.

Brooke shook her head, pulling on her new blouse, "Ugh I hate you so much,"

An hour later, the three sat in a coffee shop laughing at their awkward encounter, "Okay so, let's pretend that you didn't just seem me pressing your sister up against a wall, and instead we _just _met," Lucas grinned, "I'm Lucas, I've heard a lot about you, and it's a pleasure to finally meet you,"

Haley smiled, "All good I hope," Haley teased.

Lucas laughed, "Of course, all I hear from this one is 'Haley this' and 'Haley that' and I assure you, its all good."

Haley smiled at Brooke, "I've trained you well little one," She teased, causing Brooke to make a playful face back.

"Yup, lucky you, you're kids are gonna be _just _like me," Brooke mocked laughing.

Lucas chuckled, "Brooke can't wait for the babies, and to tell you the truth, she _already _drags me to baby stores every time we're out,"

Haley's eyes widened, "Really?"

Lucas grinned, "And to tell you the truth, we've already picked some things out,"

"Lucas, stop exposing!" Brooke mock pouted.

Haley laughed, "My babies are gonna be really lucky to have Brooke spoiling them,"

Lucas put an arm around Brooke's shoulders, "They'll have both of us," He stated with a wide grin.

"Oh yeah? Are you guys that serious?" Haley asked, surprised.

Brooke blushed, cuddling into Lucas's chest, "Shut up Luke,"

Haley grinned, "Honestly, you guys make a really cute couple, minus my first sight of you two together,"

Brooke grinned, tilting her face to look up at Lucas, and Lucas titled his head down smiling, and Haley couldn't help but feel a pang of loneliness as she watched the couple smile so affectionately at each other. _The last time Nathan had looked at her like that, or had time to look at her like that was a long time ago. Haley could even pinpoint it, it was momentarily when he found out she was pregnant, the joyful union lasted a day before he was interrupted for a meeting._

The rest of the day was spent amongst the three of them, Lucas took the girls shopping, which basically consisted him of following them shop to shop holding their shopping bags, and every once in a while treating the pair to something. But that one day was enough, Haley sadly didn't remember having that much fun in a while, the day was spent so carefree and relaxed, making jokes and not giving a shit about any real life problems. Haley missed that, missed worry about nothing. 

"Oh one second, I'm getting a call," Haley stated, feeling the vibration against her thigh, the pair stopped beside her as Haley motioned for them to hold on as she walked a few metres away, "Hello?"

"Haley?"

"_Nate,"_ Haley whispered, heartache washing through her, _she hadn't heard from him in almost two weeks now, _"Nathan, how come you haven't called?" She asked, trying to mask her pain.

"I know, I'm sorry, but we've been working around the clock on this last layout, if we can make this perfect, and they buy our idea, then that's it, Haley, I'll be back with you maybe even sooner!" He explained.

A smile lit up her face, "_Really_?"

"Yeah, but I got to go for now, my partner is suppose to be coming to pick me up soon, we have a social party thing for the company," Nathan explained hurriedly.

Haley nods, _"Nathan," _She whispered, as a hand clutched her stomach, "_I love-…"_

"Haley, he's here, I got to run; I'll talk to you as soon as I can! Take care!" He said distractedly, before the line went dead.

Haley took a huge breath, trying to plaster a smile on her lips and a finger quickly brushed at her eyes. Haley counted to five before turning around, and walking towards the pair, but they weren't just standing where she had left them.

Lucas was leaning against a store's window, with Brooke standing between his legs, she had her arms wrapped around his neck and his were against her hips, with all their shopping bags still in his hands. Brooke was playing with his hair while he was laughing at something she was saying.

Haley couldn't help but feel the longing in her heart, _they looked so cute together, so in love; they were the ideal couple that couldn't take their eyes or their hands off each other. Through out the day,, Haley noticed little touches of affection that they didn't even do knowingly. The way Lucas would always have his arm casually thrown over her chair as they sat, or how his hand would often be on the small of her back when they walked, or the way he would look at her when she said something funny or stupid, and just the little eye contacts they would make thinking she didn't notice, or how they would smile at each other randomly, he was the complete opposite of Nathan. Nathan never looked or touched her the way Lucas did with Brooke, not normally at least, the only time he had been so affectionate was two times; once on their honeymoon and the day he found out she was pregnant. _

Haley cleared her throat, causing Brooke to pull away from Lucas, and he pushed away from the wall, "I really don't see how you two are suppose to be d. low," Haley teased.

Lucas laughed and Brooke grinned, "Why do you think we brought you so far away from home?"

Haley raised an amused brow, "It's all clear now, but I feel like I'm becoming a bother to this horny pair," Haley joked, with a mock pout.

"No way!" Lucas exclaimed before Brooke could, "We're together all the time because of the work stuff, and spend a lot of time alone; it's really nice to be able to hang out with someone else without having to hide our relationship, because there aren't that many people that we can do that with. Plus, I'm having a lot of fun today, and having you here with us is great," He insisted honestly, giving her a genuine smile.

Haley smiled in return and Brooke wrapped her arms around his waist, giving him a huge kiss on the cheek, "Isn't he awesome? That's exactly what I wanted to say too," Brooke said, before walking towards Haley, "Today is one of the bestest days of my life; I have the guy I love, and my sister who I love more then my life, with me," Brooke whispered, before bringing her into a gentle hug, "My two favourite people in the whole entire world, I couldn't imagine my life without either of you!"

Haley smiled, forgetting about her previous heartache as she jokingly hooked arms with Brooke and joined her other arm with Lucas's, "Alright then, now the three musketeers need to go get some food, I'm _craving _some cheeseburgers!"

**Two Months later;**

"_**She's in labour sir! We just called the ambulance; it was really bad; she was in a lot of pain!" His house nurse informed worriedly, "I couldn't take care of it; she needed to go to a hospital!"**_

"_**But she's not supposed to go into labour until another two weeks! She's early, the babies can't come yet!" Nathan exclaimed, getting up off his chair and ignoring the room full of his colleagues staring back at him.**_

"_**I know Mr. Cohen, there was tremendous bleeding!"**_

"_**I'm on my way!"**_

Nathan thought back to the horrid conversation over and over again, it was driving him insane, he had take an emergency jet back and now was in car driving toward the hospital, "Can you drive _faster!_" Nathan barked at his driver for the hundredth time. They were already pushing the speed limit by 50km/h, but every second was eating at Nathan.

When they finally got there, Nathan ran out of the car before it had even come to a full stop, "Where's my wife, Haley Cohen, she was brought in hours ago, _where is she!_" He demanded impatiently.

Moments later, Nathan burst into the waiting room to find Haley's parents and sister already there, crying causing his heart dropping further in his chest.

He couldn't look at them any longer… it scared him; so instead he headed straight towards her room but a nurse stopped him, "You can't go in there right now,"

"But, Haley-…"

"The doctor will be out with you shortly; there is surgery going on,"

"What the fuck, _surgery, _but there has to be some mistake, my wife is pregnant; I need to see her!" He insisted, looking past her.

"I'm sorry, but no one's allowed in,"

"But she's my wife, what's going on, _what surgery? _Please I need to know, that's my _wife_ in there!" He pleaded, his heart beginning to ache with every second that passed.

"The doctor will be out with you shortly, I don't know much,"

Nathan's finally nodded in shock, turning back towards her family in the waiting room.

The parents held each other sobbing so much they didn't even acknowledge his presence, so he went to Haley's sister, who was sitting on a chair with her legs pulled up against her chest, crying into her crossed arms.

"Brooke," He remembered her name being, "What's wrong, what surgery are they talking about?" He demanded, but her sobs only hardened. Nathan frowned, as he kneeled in front of her, he paused a few seconds but when he realized she wasn't going to answer he resorted to forcefully pulling her arms away from her face, "Look at me, _what's going on with my wife?" _He questioned, "You _need _to tell me!"

"Sh-she…" Brooke began uncontrollably, "I- I never even, she never told –she…" Brooke attempted between sobs.

This only caused the knot in his chest to tighten painfully, and before he knew it, he had grabbed her by her upper arms, pulling her out of the chair and forcing her to face him, "Brooke, _you need to tell me clearly, PLEASE!" _He half yelled.

"_HALEY'S DYING!!_" Brooke sobbed out painfully, and just as the words escaped her lips, Nathan felt like he had been stabbed in the chest, his hands that had been tightly gripping Brooke's upper arm dropped to his side, and just as they did, Brooke broke down in front of him, falling to her knees in tears, "_My sister's dying!" _She wailed, so much anguish in her voice… it was one of the most heartbreaking sounds he'd ever heard.

He stumbled back in shock, tripping over the magazine table and landing on the ground. He sat there, staring at Brooke who was a few feet away from him, still on her knees, but now curling forward and holding herself around the waist, wailing terribly.

"_No," _Nathan managed to whisper, his eyes and mouth wide open, "Don't say that!" He yelled, "What the fuck are you saying, you can't say shit like that!"

"Mr. Cohen,"

Nathan turned to find the doctor step out of Haley's room, and he crawled to his feet quickly.

"Doctor, why did my wife just have surgery; _what's going on, HOW IS SHE?! I need to know! PLEASE!" _He begged, his heart pounding painfully in his chest.

The doctor sighed, "She never told you either?"

Nathan frowned, _"WHAT ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT?"_

The doctor shook his head sadly, looking at Nathan as if looking at a dying puppy. This only caused Nathan's insides to hurt more, "Follow me to my office, I'll explain everything,"

"_I'm ready to sign the papers,"_

"_But Mrs. Cohen, you realize this decision could cost you your life,"_

_Haley looked at him, a faraway look in her eyes, "There is no way I'll let my babies die just so I can stay alive. Ask this question to any mother, and their answer will be the same," Haley answered confidently._

"_This isn't something to think about so emotionally, you really need to think about this logically, there are strong chances that if you decide to go on with this pregnancy and give birth to your babies, you will not make it, you know that your-…"_

"_I know, I know, you've explained it all to me already; I cannot let my children die. It's my final decision,"_

Nathan felt like someone had put his heart on fire, he had never felt this type of pain before, and he didn't even realize that tears were pooling out of his shocked eyes, "_No, please,_" He whispered, "..._She never mentioned-… she couldn't have_," He almost pleaded.

"Mrs. Cohen signed the contract stating that she knew full well going into the rest of her pregnancy that there are strong chances she won't make it if she gives birth." The doctor informed Nathan, "And she did, you have a baby boy and a baby girl, but because of the difficulties in her pregnancy, they were born early without their lungs fully developed, so we're going to have to monitor them but their chances are good, but Mrs. Cohen on the other hand, as predicted was too weak to be giving birth to twins. It has taken its toll on her, and her insides are slowly becoming unable to function, there is no possible way to keep her alive. I'm really sorry Mr. Cohen,"

"_N-n-no, _there has t-to b-be some mis- mistake, H-H-Haley wouldn't d-do that to m-me," He stuttered, each word coming out painfully strained, Nathan couldn't feel his body anymore, his vision was blurred; _nothing made sense, how could he be losing the women he loved with more then his life? How could he not have any control over such a life altering matter? There was nothing he could do? How could he be so hopeless that he couldn't even save her? He had to save her; he couldn't live his life without her. He didn't need the kids, all he needed was Haley!_

"You can go and see her Mrs. Cohen, she's barely conscious right now, we don't know how much time she has left," The doctor said sympathetically, "There is no-…"

Nathan stumbled out of his chair, everything was a blur; he didn't even hear what the doctor continued with… he couldn't even say how he made it to her room. He turned the knob, slowing pushing it open, Brooke and her parents were already with her, the parents were in one corner of the room, watching her tearfully, while Brooke was sitting by her bedside, holding her hand crying, but Haley wasn't facing her. She was lying in the hospital bed, an IV stuck in her wrist, with a monitor displaying her heart activity. Her eyes were open, but she was staring into nothingness, no emotion in her eyes. When Brooke saw him, she leaned in and kissed her sisters forehead before moving to join her parents.

And it was when he lifelessly took a seat next to her, that she slowly turned her head to face him, and just as their eyes connected, a tear escaped her glistening eyes and rolled down her cheek slowly, "_Nate,_"

But it wasn't until she weakly lifted her hand and gently touched his cheek that he sucked in a deep painful breath and finally spoke, "_Haley,_" He whispered painfully; _but that alone held so much; a plead, a question, and so much pain._

Haley just shook her head sadly, "_I'm Sorry," _She whispered.

"_No_, you don't get to get away with it like that," He said shaking his head, his strong hand covering her trembling one against his face, "You need to tell me _why; why did you think it was okay to make such a fucked up decision, why did you think it was okay to not ask me, to not even tell me? WHY?!" _He demanded, "What gives you the right to completely destroy my _life,_ _Haley!?"_

"_Nate_, everything I did… I did it _for you_," Haley whispered, her eyes tearing up, but too weak to move.

"But-…"

"_Nate,_" She interrupted, before looking at him, her trembling hands slipping out of his grasp lifelessly, "_Please… just hold me,_" She pleaded.

He felt his heart shatter completely in that second; _because that's when he knew… it was actually over. There was no miracle, there was so screaming and yelling that could make her not leave him… it was over. _

Something hurt so immensely inside that it was difficult to breathe, but no emotion was left on his face as he climbed into the small bed of hers, carefully avoiding the wires.

Haley attempted to pull herself into a sitting position, but there was no use, she couldn't move an inch, "_Nate… please_," She whispered, and Nathan knew what she needed, so he slowly pulled her up, it was like moving dead weight, there was no life in her body anymore, and another tear escaped his eyes as he pulled her into his arms and cradled her in his laps.

"No, Haley _no please,_" Brooked whimpered, dropping at the side of her bed, one hand holding onto Haley's. The parents followed, all three surrounding the little bed, and the couple.

Haley's eyes remained locked with Nathan's, and her breathing slowly got harsher and more painful, "_I… need…" _Haley began, each word harder to get out, "_… p-p-promise me… you… will… n-name… our… twins, B-Brookie… and H-Hale," _She managed, causing Brooke to let out another heartbreaking wale before covering her mouth in her folded arms.

"_Please, l-love… them… N-Nate," _Haley breathed out slowly, her eyes slowly closing shut; there was a momentary pause, as if Haley was mustering the last bit of energy she could possibly manage, "_I…" _Haley began, her hand twitching slightly in an effort, causing Nathan to take a hold of it and press it against his cheek, "_l-love…" _She whispered painfully, her face leaning lightly into him, "…_ you,"_

Nathan felt as if his heart was no longer pumping, and it felt almost unreal as he leant down, meeting her lips in their last kiss; _his lips merely pressed against hers, yet this union of their lips was more meaningful and passionate then any kiss had ever been. They had shared many different types of kisses before, but none had meant what this did. _ Both of their tears wet each others lips, before Nathan pulled back, his hands cupping her face, "I _love _you too, Haley, I _love you so much,_"

A small peaceful smile graced her lips slowly; her eyes still closed, and she breathed in deeply; _causing Nathan to hold his breath, _before breathing out; _making Nathan take in a huge breath, _as silence filled the room.

A horrible loud noise left Nathan, a noise that couldn't be made out as anything, as he threw his head back and another one of those noises left his lips, before Haley was pulled out of his arms by her wailing parents and Brooke fell back in shock, "No, _no this didn't happen, no, no, no no, please no!_"

The doctor rushed in, followed by a nurse and they took one look at Haley and then at her machine, before the doctor finally shook his head sadly, "_She's Gone,_"

**A/N by far the longest chapter I ever wrote, hope people actually read it all. This story will be **_**very**_** different from any story I've ever read on this site, and I can almost guarantee the same for you.**

**Because… the real story starts**

… _**Now**_


	2. Sorrow In My Soul

"How could you even think that?" Brooke questioned, horrified.

"I'm sorry, we thought a lot about this, we know we're asking for a lot, but Brooke, you _need _to understand that this is the only way." Her dad answered, as Victoria sat in the corner wiping her tears, still unable to compose herself, _it had been a mere three weeks since Haley's death… the funeral… the goodbye. It had been one of the toughest times in Brooke's life, Lucas had been away for an important business meeting and Brooke hadn't been able to reach him in time for the funeral, so she had spent the funeral trying to be strong for her parents while she suffocated on the inside. But what they were asking now… it was outrageous… it could never happen._

"No, it isn't the only way… there are MANY ways, he probably won't want to keep the twins because he's always away on business, he wouldn't be able to take care of them!"

_The twins had been at the hospital for the last three weeks and had only been released two days ago, and had been with the Davis family, but alas it was time for Nathan to leave town… and take the twins with him._

"He will take them! They are legally under his custody, and I _know _he will take them, he's already arranged for them to be picked up tomorrow, and we won't be able to do anything to stop him!" His dad insisted.

"No! We can legally fight him for them, somehow, someway, _but you can't ask me to do this!" _Brooke exclaimed incredulously, "I _won't!_"

"So what do you want then Brooke? We can't take the children away from their father… their only _legal guardian_ right now, so should we let them go? Should we let him take them away? And maybe if we're lucky he'll let us see them on special occasions? _Is that what you want?"_

"_You want me to marry him!" _Brooke cried out, "How could you even _think _that I would marry my sister's _husband!_ How could you even think I would do that to _Haley! _ She loved him, he was _hers!_ These kids are _hers! _ That home is _hers!_ You want me to go there and take it all? You want me to _replace her? _That was _her _life!" Brooke exclaimed sobbing, _she could barely look her dad in the eyes; she was so disgusted that he would even ask her such a thing. Haley has been dead for two weeks and he already wants Brooke to sweep in and take her husband and kids! How could he even expect such a thing? And why wouldn't her mom even look at her, why wouldn't her mom tell her dad how wrong he was! Why wouldn't she speak up! Why wouldn't she tell her dad that Haley couldn't be replaced, that Haley would never want Brooke to marry Nathan, ever!_

"Brooke, why don't you understand-…"

"Why don't you understand?" Brooke cut in, "What about _my _life? _What about Lucas!_ I _love _him, dad! We are in love… we're in a relationship! _He's _the guy I want to marry; he's the only guy I can imagine myself being with for the rest of my life! I don't love Nathan, he's Haleys! She loved him, she would never want me to leave Lucas, and she wouldn't want me to marry _her husband!" _Brooke insisted, grabbing her dad's arms and looking him in the eyes to make him see reason, "I don't want this, and neither would Haley!"

"So you're telling me, that Haley would want her children to be raised _motherless? _Are you telling me that Haley would want Nathan to be alone and not able to provide her children with the full love and support she would've? He doesn't even look at the kids, he blames them for taking Haley's life, don't you understand! They are going to be raised by nannies, without the love of a mother or a father! He only wants them because Haley asked him to take care of them; he doesn't want them because he loves them! Or worse, if you don't marry Nathan and he finds some other girl and marries her? What then? These babies will be raised by some random girl that will never love them as her own, _ever! _At least if you marry him you can adopt the kids as well so you have partial legal custody, and they will be raised by you, and only _you _will love them as your own because their your sisters kids, they are your blood, they are a part of _Haley!_ Don't you get it! They are a part of your sister! How can you let that part be taken away from us and raised loveless! Would _Haley want that?" _Her dad demanded, causing Victoria let out a little strangled cry, "Haley sacrificed her _life_ for these babies, she gave it up so they would live. How can we let her sacrifice go in vain if they end up being raised like that?"

Brooke stood there stunned… _it was true that Nathan had shown no care for the twins, and if he took them away they would most likely be raised in the care of random nannies, and if Nathan remarried, she couldn't expect that woman to come in and love these children that weren't hers, as unconditionally as they deserve, they would be leaving everything to chance. Haley wouldn't want her children to be raised like that. She loved her children more than her own life. She gave up her life for them, and how could they take a chance with their upbringing and the love they receive, when her beloved sister lost her life for their sake. _

Brooke slowly fell to her knees; her face filled with anguish, and said nothing more.

The room stilled, and many moments went by in that eerie silence.

_**The doctor rushed in, followed by a nurse and they took one look at Haley and then at her machine, before the doctor finally shook his head sadly, "**__**She's Gone,**__**"**_

Brooke felt her heart churn inside as she recalled on that moment at the hospital that her sister had left them for good, when she had left her parents, sister, husband and babies behind… _it wasn't fair, it wasn't fair that Haley never got to live longer, it wasn't fair! She was so young; it wasn't fair that Haley never got to raise her children. She loved them so much; she had given her life for them without even meeting them. How could this happen to Haley, her sister? One of the best people Brooke had ever known; a heart of gold, she was an angel on earth and she was taken away from them, already._

_But how could Brooke do this? How could Brooke give up her life to step into such big shoes? How could she enter a loveless marriage… how could she marry her brother-in-law?_

_And what about Lucas? _Brooke felt her heart squeeze in her chest,_ she loved Lucas… how could she leave him, she couldn't bear the thought of being apart from Lucas; she couldn't bear the thought of not being with Lucas again! It wasn't fair! How could the ask her to give up her life and love? How could they ask her to leave Lucas? He was her heart, how could they even ask such a thing!_

"I under-understand d-dad," Brooke stammered, "B-but I don't think I can do this"

"_Brooke," _Victoria whispered softy for the first time, as she got up from her spot and slowly got on her knees beside Brooke, "You won't even be able to do this? Haley sacrificed her _life_ for these two kids, and you can't sacrifice your life plans and love for them? You can't marry Nathan and be a mother to these babies? Are you going to be able to let go of _Hales and Brookie?" _Her mom asked softly, causing a gasp from Brooke at the mention of the names.

_**Haley's eyes remained locked with Nathan's, and her breathing slowly got harsher and more painful, "**__**I… need…"**____**Haley began, each word harder to get out, "**__**… p-p-promise me… you… will… n-name… our… twins, B-Brookie… and H-Hale,"**____**She managed, causing Brooke to let out another heartbreaking wale before covering her mouth in her folded arms.**_

Before Brooke could say anything she found her mother put her hands together in plea, "Please don't let these last remaining pieces of my baby girl part from us, they are a part of my Haley, they are her heart, I want her to live through her children… I can't have them leave our lives, I can't let them be raised without the love and attention they deserve… the love and attention Haley would want them to have! Please Brooke, take care of Haley's family for her, do it for your _sister_, do it for _us_… and do it for _Hales and Brookie._" Her mom begged sobbing.

Brooke felt her insides shatter as she watched her broken mom in front of her, and slowly a wale broke out from the other room… one of the twins were up. Brooke's dad left and returned a minute later with the baby boy in his arms, still waling. Brooke stood up as her dad approached her, "Brooke, _the decision is yours,_" He whispered, with a mix of sadness and apology in his voice.

She looked down at the waling child, and then at her broken mom. Brooke leaned down and gently helped her mom stand up, before taking Hales in her arms, "_I'll do it_," She finally whispered painfully, and instantly she felt Hales relax in her arms…

_Story of my life  
Searching for the right  
But it keeps avoiding me_

Nathan and Brooke sat side by side in the office, a marriage certificate in front of them, her parents beside them as witnesses.

Nathan didn't even look at Brooke, the only reason he was here was because of Haley's dad convincing him that this is what Haley would want, that she loved her sister more than anything in this world, she even named one of their kids after Brooke, that _Haley_ would want her children to be raised by Brooke instead of by the nannies that Nathan could hire for them. And for Nathan it was just a piece of paper that he was signing, this marriage meant nothing to him. _He will always be married to Haley in his heart, so this was just formalities. _

Brooke sat next to him, just as emotionless as him. _She had been avoiding Lucas, he didn't even know she was getting married… how messed up was that? He had no idea his girlfriend was about to sign a marriage certificate, and be legally married to someone else. She would only be married to Lucas in her heart, the only man she could ever love, so really she was just here to sign her life away. _She wouldn't be able to look Lucas in the eyes and tell him what she was doing, she knew he would never understand… he would never _let_ her, no matter what she had said or did he would never have let her go through with this, he would never have let her sign her life away like this, enter a loveless marriage that would leave all three of them unhappy. _So now she had to do all this behind his back… she would leave town with Nathan and the twins, and never meet Lucas again. _

"Sign here,"

They both lifted their pens…

_Sorrow in my soul  
Cause it seems that wrong  
Really loves my company_

Brooke made sure the baby seats were securely in the car, before giving the fidgety Brookie a toy, and turned back to her parents.

She saw the sorrow in their eyes, the pain of knowing what they had convinced their daughter Brooke into, for the sake of Haley's children. She was going off into a loveless marriage, neither of them would even look at each other, and the last words they've probably spoken to each other was in the hospital that night when she told Nathan about Haley.

Nathan was sitting in the passenger side of the car, making a business phone call, the driver waiting patiently for Brooke to get in. She fought back the tears as she wrapped her arms around her dad, and then her mom, "I'll give Hales and Brookie everything, I'll make sure they get all the love and happiness in the world," She promised, as her mom cried softy in her shoulder.

Her mom pulled away and held Brooke's hands, giving her a reassuring squeeze, before turning away tearfully. Brooke grabbed the baby bag from her dad, giving them one last smile that didn't even brush her eyes, before finally turning and getting in the car.

Brooke took one last long around as the car drove out of her little town…

_Goodbye Tree Hill… _

_Goodbye, Lucas…_

_He's more than a man  
And this is more than love  
The reason that the sky is blue  
The clouds are rolling in  
Because I'm gone again  
And to him I just can't be true  
_

**A/n Read and Review my peeps! This story will turn many directions with countless twists and turns. Don't expect it to be as black and white as it may appear, as we've seen in the first two chapters alone, expect the unexpected. **


	3. I Can See Him Dying

_Seventeen thousand, five hundred, and twenty hours. Seven hundred and thirty day. One hundred and four weeks. Two years._

It has been _two years_ since that day they had signed that marriage certificate. _Two years _since she's had her life change completely. _Two years_ since she's been married to her brother in law.

She still couldn't even call him her husband because to her, Nathan was still Haley's husband.

Brooke had gone from the working woman, who had aspired to make a name for herself in the business world, who had wanted such different things… to a stay-at-home mom.

For the last two years, her life had completely revolved around the twins. She didn't want any nannies to help her, she had spent every waking moment catering to the twins. They were completely different, Hales was more calm and would cry more often and always wanted to be carried by Brooke. Brookie on the other hand, was much more independent, and always wanted to discover new things in the house, and always wanted to do things she wasn't allowed to. When the stairs had a little sliding gate to keep the twins from trying to climb the stairs, Brookie would try countless times to climb the gate while Hales would accept that it was off-limits. It wasn't until Brookie fell trying to climb over that she stopped. So it was safe to say Brookie was often the one getting hurt and needing Brooke to keep a close eye on her.

And it was undeniable, she completely _loved_ these twins. She saw a bit of Haley in both, their eyes… completely identical, and completely a copy of Haley's. Sometimes when they would look at Brooke, it would cause shivers down her spine due to the resemblance. It was like looking into the eyes of her beloved sister.

But just as she had not really accepted Nathan as her husband, he made it no secret that Haley was the only one who he considered a wife. There was an eight-foot tall picture of Haley hanging on the wall in his home office, and he would sit in front of it at his desk as he worked from home. Some things didn't change, he was still gone out of town a lot due to work and whenever he was home… he was in his office working.

It was very lonely for Brooke in the huge mansion, with just the twins as her company day after day… for the last two years. At least when Nathan was home, it wasn't scary knowing someone else was there. But when she was alone, and even though they had maids and security in front of the gate… it scared her. She was all alone in this little town called Streetsville; she did not know anyone, not her neighbours, no one. She minded her own business and just focused on the twins, and no one bothered to try to get to know her either. They had all loved Haley, and no one wanted to know this girl who had been stepping into Haley's family.

Nathan and Brooke were civil with each other, they talked to each other very formally, and it was usually her asking what he wanted the cook to make from dinner or to let him know she was going out with the kids. He was polite… it was just as she'd expect to talk to her rich workaholic brother-in-law. There was no sense of a family with them, he didn't spend time with the twins and Brooke knew that deep down he still resented them for taking Haley's life. He made sure that nothing was kept from them, he let Brooke get whatever she thought they'd need and was never harsh on them… he just didn't really bond with them.

And…_ Lucas. _ It would be a lie if Brooke said that she never thought of Lucas again after 'legally committing' her life to Nathan. She thought of Lucas everyday… and if it weren't for the twins, she would've never been able to get through the last two years. She was so lonely… and there was no closure between her and Lucas, she had done all this behind his back… and let her parents deal with telling him what she did. There was no way she would've been able to tell him this herself, to hear the hurt, disappointment, and anger in his voice. It was like an open wound that had never gotten treated… and this wound was in her heart. _She _was the bad guy; she broke his heart and married someone else behind his back, while she was his girlfriend. There was no goodbye.

When she was sad, she smiled for the kids. She didn't want them to ever be sad, she wanted to give them every happiness in the world. Because they were Haley's kids, she loved them even more then she would've had they been hers. They were a piece of her Haley, her elder sister who had loved Brooke more than her own life… she now Brooke loved Haley's kids more than her own. Brooke knew in her heart that by making the twins happy, she was making her sister happy. And these twins were absolutely precious to her.

But it left her to be very alone. There was no one for her to share her tears and loneliness with. Every time she talked, or saw her parents, she could see the guilt in the eyes and voice. She knew that they felt bad for her, and felt guilty for what they did to her. They didn't regret it, because they could see how much she loved the twins and how happy they were… and they called her _mom_. That's something that wouldn't have happened if she hadn't made that sacrifice. She was their mom, not their aunt… she was in every shape and form their mother. She was the only thing they knew, it was Brooke that they called for when they cried, or got hurt. It was Brooke that they snuggled up against at night when they went to sleep, it was Brooke that they called mom.

She couldn't have been their mom had she not lived in this mansion with them, she couldn't have ran to them when they cried, or kept an eye on them at all times had she not lived here with Nathan. And this marriage made sure she got to be their mom to the fullest extent of everything, and she was grateful. Because she wouldn't be able to bear the thought of them crying or getting hurt with no one but random nannies to come take care of them. _She loved them._

All of her Tree Hill friends had vanished too, because when she disappeared to live with Nathan, all they saw was the heartbroken Lucas she had abandoned without a word. There was no explanation she could give them to explain that. There was nothing left for her to say.

_She_ was the bad guy. She was his culprit.

Today, was the two year anniversary of her marriage. Of course, Nathan was away at work, and it was just as well… it wasn't like today meant anything more to her then the day she signed her life away. The two year anniversary was more significant to celebrate with her toddlers; because it was the day she had signed her life to them. To be their mommy.

"Moooooommy," Brooke was startled when she heard Brookie cry out for her in the other room. She quickly put the sleeping Hales down in the crib and ran toward the crying Brookie. She was sitting on the ground with a tiny scrap on her knee as she wailed loudly. Brooke smiled and tears pooled to her eyes as she remembered that it was once her crying over a little scrap and yelling for her sister;

_Brooke continued to cry loudly, one hand rubbing at her eye, while the other clutched her knee, "HALE!" She screamed between sobs._

Brooke quickly kneeled down to gather the crying Brookie in her arms, "Aww, baby you got hurted?" she asked soothingly as she carried the crying toddler to the kitchen, before placing her on the counter and getting a little Cinderella band aid from the first-aid kit, "Does it hurt a lot?"

Brookie nodded sniffling as Brooke cleaned the tiny scrap before gently putting on the band aid, "Aww my baby," She said before picking up Brookie and cradling her in her arms as they made their way back to the living room that Hales was sleeping in, and Brooke slowly lowered herself into the rocking chair and watched the beautiful girl in her arms slowly calm and yawn tiredly.

Brooke hummed lightly as she watched her eyes begin to close slowly. Brooke placed her beside her brother in their crib, before returning to her seat and watched them sleep peacefully and then she let her head fall back against the seat and rested her eyes…

Nathan got out of his car and looked up at the big house in front of him. He was home after a week away…_home…_ he wasn't sure if that could really apply to this big house. It was probably only home to the twins. This didn't really feel like home to him anymore. Home would be where Haley was. Home was coming back to see that smile on Haley's lips and the love in her eyes, as he used to before. At this place, him and Brooke were mere housemates, they tip-toed around each other, and he watched as she raised his children. He entered the house, and as he made his way up to his room something else caught his eye. He put down his briefcase before standing at the doorframe of his living room. He saw his twins lie in their crib, asleep, and a tired looking Brooke lightly dozed off in her rocking chair. He thought of putting the light comforter they had lying on the couch over her, but then decided against it. She did a lot for the kids… but she could never replace the love Haley could've given them… or what Haley meant to this house.

She was trying to step into shoes that weren't hers, nor could she actually fit in them… no one could replace Haley, and in a way he resented Brooke for trying. For trying to be the twins mother, for being his legal wife… for trying to complete this family by stepping in for Haley. She was nothing compared to Haley, and she never could be.

He looked away from what would seem as the perfect scene to come home to, but this wasn't his family. His family died with Haley, this was just what happened after. He had two kids at the expense of Haley, and he had Haley's sister taking care of them… he would gladly give up all of them for Haley. She was the love of his life.

"THIS? THIS IS WHAT YOU WHAT YOU COME UP WITH AFTER TWO DAYS?" Lucas barked viciously at the trembling employee in front of him.

All the employees outside in their cubicles turned to watch the next victim of Mr. Scott. This wasn't anything new, it usually happened once a week, the severity of how bad it was varied depending on his mood. And his mood often varied from bad, to really bad. At one time, they even had the door shatter from the hinges because of how hard Mr. Scott had slammed it, angry at an employee.

Ever since his assistant Brooke Davis had left the company, Mr. Scott's attitude had taken a nosedive. It was a small town, word got around, and from what they had heard was that _perhaps _Mr. Scott had been having a secret affair was Brooke Davis, and then she had left him for the even richer Mr. Cohen, who also happened to be Brooke's brother-in-law. So Mr. Scott had been played by the gold digger Brooke Davis. And ever since then, the monster in Mr. Scott had been unleashed. No longer the calm, collected, and understanding Mr. Scott they remembered, now a typical day was to see a frowning Mr. Scott walk past them without any acknowledgement, and the best of days were when no one got barked at.

Today was one of the bad days.

Everyone watched in pity, as the unfortunate employee trembled in his spot. It was uncomfortable watching the scene, because they all internally prayed that they were never on the receiving end of Mr. Scott's anger, but knew that it was extremely easy to tick him off.

"I-I'm sorry boss, th-this won't happen again, I-…"

"YOUR DAMN RIGHT IT WONT HAPPEN AGAIN!" Lucas yelled, slamming his desk and standing up to look ruthlessly at the man, "YOUR FIRED! Get _out_ of my office!"

A silence fell among the office and they watched the employee exit the office in shame.

There was no way the top management would've allowed Lucas to keep working there with the attitude and atmosphere he brought, but he was so good at what he did, that the management turned a blind eye. They could afford to lose many replaceable employees, but not the hardworking Lucas Scott, the chief of his department. Because while his attitude had completely done a 180 degrees, the amount of work he put in had almost doubled. He came in early, and stayed till late, his whole life now revolved around his work. He did enough work for two men in a day, and he was very specialized at what he did. He would be almost impossible to replace.

The office watched as another casualty of Lucas's anger, packed up their cubicle in embarrassment and remorse.

He heard a knock at his door, before his manager walked into the room, completely not acknowledging the sullen employee packing his belongings, "Scott, there is a very important meeting you need to attend out of town, which is a potential contract with one of biggest name suppliers. If we get this deal, it will enhance our company's name to be associated with such an established reliable steel supplier, and it will cut the costs of transporting these steel plates in half, because its much closer than our previous suppliers with Red Inc. We need you to seal the deal with this new project, and only you understand the marketing of our product best, and why they would be profitable signing with us. From what I know, this suppliers company is run by a huge business man who is very smart with all his deals, he takes no risks and will only sign if there is a guarantee that the company can profit him."

Lucas nodded.

"Lucas," He said seriously, "We _need_ this contract. No matter how long it takes and how hard you need to try to convince them, they need to sign with _us._ This could take our company's image through the roof!"

Lucas frowned, "What company is this?"

"It's called Cohen Inc."

Lucas frowned…_ why did that name sound familiar, _"Where have I heard that?" He wondered out loud.

"It's one of the biggest supplier names around, it makes sense that it sounds familiar,"

Lucas nodded, "Alright Jones, when do I leave and where am I headed?"

"The CEO lives in a small town called Streetsville, which is about 5 hours away from here. We got you a hotel room already booked, which is about ten minutes from the Cohen base, and 15 from his home since he conducts business from his home office as well."

Lucas nodded again, "Well, I'm glad you entrust me with such a huge contract, and I can promise you that Cohen Inc _will _sign with us, when I'm done with this."

_And I know that he knows I'm unfaithful_  
_And it kills him inside_  
_To know that I am happy with some other guy_  
_I can see him dying_

**_A/N hmm who has fi_gured out when the company name sounded familiar? ;-)**


	4. Are You Lonesome Tonight?

_Are you lonesome tonight__  
__do you miss me tonight__  
__Are you sorry we drifted apart__  
__Does your memory stray to a bright sunny day__  
__When I kissed you and called you sweetheart_

Nathan flipped through a business proposal as he sat at in his home office, when the massive picture that hung on the wall across him caught his gaze. _Haley._

He sighed as he sat back in his chair, running a hand through his hair. _It had been more than two years since she's left him. _It was difficult meeting her eyes… the eyes that stared back at him from across the room. Ever since she's left him and he'd agreed to legally marry Brooke and bring her to live with him, it had never really settled well in the pit of his stomach. He felt like he had done Haley wrong. That she must be looking down at him hurt, and disappointed that he had let Brooke enter _their _family. It wasn't Brooke's family to be in, she shouldn't be here, and Haley's kids shouldn't be calling Brooke _mom_. She shouldn't be his legal wife. This was all _Haley's. _ His heart was Haley's. And regardless of what anyone thinks, he did love Haley. And even though it was unfair for her that he was so consumed with work, she understood it. She understood that everything he did for his business was for their future, their family. She was the most understanding, caring, and loving woman he'd ever met. And she had made him feel so special, so unbelievably special, that _she_ loved _him._

And then he let Brooke step into _her_ life.

Somewhere inside him… he had always felt that Haley would be sad. She would feel betrayed. _He_ would've felt betrayed if she had let another man step into his position in their family.

And that's why he resented Brooke too. Just watching her be the twin's mom, day after day, made him resent her… because he knew it should've been Haley. Brooke was Haley's little sister, she was their _aunt_, she was his sister-in-law… and that was it.

He heard a giggle, and he looked up to see Hale giggling as he squirmed on the ground in the other room as Brooke playfully tickled the little boy… and his eyes hardened; _I'm sorry Haley. _

Lucas stepped out of the car and stretched, _it had been a long ride to this little town_. He pulled off his sunglasses and looked up at the hotel. It wasn't the typical hotel he had expected; in fact it was merely 5 floors high and looked more like an apartment condo. "Well, Jones really goes all out for me eh." He muttered sarcastically, "Bring these to my room," He ordered as the hotel host approached him, handing him his two suitcases, before walking past him.

Lucas went to the front desk and checked in; _hopefully this stay won't be long._

When Lucas got into his room, he opened the mini-fridge to find it with merely a complimentary champagne bottle, and a little kitchen off to the side. He first needed to stock up so he wasn't dependent on the room service meals, and could actually cook some things for himself. Beer, eggs, energy drinks, bread and some milk he decided. Who knew how long it would take him to cut the deal with the business, and from his past experience, he knew it could take longer than a couple of days. He wanted to make this depressing little room feel as comfortable as possible.

Lucas took out his phone and searched up the nearest grocery stores and beer stores, he had a couple of hours before he was due the home office appointment they had set up, he might as well get this stuff out of the way.

As soon as he entered the grocery store, he could see clearly that this was a very small, put together town. Everyone knew everyone; it was confirmed as he saw almost everyone greet each other as they passed each other in the store. _Why would such a huge business man operate his office in such a small town? _Lucas couldn't imagine how such a big business could be run from here, where there was probably only one grocery store for the whole town, it was even smaller then Tree Hill.

Lucas didn't bother thinking of it much more as he made his way through the aisles, _he didn't have much time, he had to quickly grab everything he needed and make towards the beer store. _

Brooke entered the grocery store and could see one or two people turn to give her a look, but Brooke ignored it, keeping her head down as she made her way towards the fruits. _Even though the cook usually took care of most of the groceries, Brooke liked to choose and prepare the food of the toddlers herself. _

"I was thinking of making a batch of my special lasagnya, or getting my mother to make her famous apple pie, what do you think I should bring to the Christmas party?" Brooke heard a lady ponder a few feet away.

"If you mean the apple pie you brought last Christmas, I definitely think you should bring that! People _still_ bring up how good that pie was!" Her friend gushed, as she adjusted the infant in her arms.

Brooke smiled sadly; _the town held these Christmas parties every year, where everyone brought something and got together the night of Christmas for a huge get together. Nathan didn't care to go to these parties since he was usually busy with his work… and Brooke never really knew anyone to go herself. Nor did anyone really give Brooke a personal invite. But it always made her sad, as she would sit home with the twins and they could faintly hear the chatter and laughter coming from the town gathering. She didn't want the twins to be isolated from their town the way Brooke was. She wanted Hale and Brookie to grow up having the friendships and love that Brooke had in Tree Hill. _

As Brooke turned the corner of an aisle completely lost in her thoughts, she didn't see that someone was already standing there reaching for some eggs, when she felt herself crash squarely into them with a thud, the person seemed much bigger as the impact caused Brooke to almost stumble backwards, but she was quickly stabled by a pair of strong arms, "I'm so sorry, I wasn't watching-…" Brooke began, but as her eyes found the persons face, the rest of her sentence got caught in her throat and her eyes went wide.

Because there she stood, in the arms of none other than _Lucas Scott_

Wide eyes stared up into a pair of cold and hard eyes. The same baby blues she had stared into so many times before seemed much darker now. They weren't as comforting as she remembered, but they still managed to make a shiver run down her spine.

Within seconds she felt the arms that had been holding her push her away from him abruptly, causing Brooke to quickly stable herself before she stumbled. But her eyes never left his.

It had been more than two years since she's seen him, touched him… or been around him. This almost felt surreal.

_What would Lucas possibly be doing in such a small town? _

"Lucas," She felt his name leave her mouth, and it felt so hoarse and strained. It felt foreign… like it was from another world… _and in a way it was._

"You," He spat, his eyes hardening and his jaw clenching, "What the _hell_ are you doing here!"

Brooke felt like he had punched her, and the venom in his voice almost knocked the wind out of her. She knew he wouldn't be happy with her if he ever saw her again, hell she never really expected to run into him again, but the cruelty and distaste… she never imagined.

Seeing him breathed life into her lifeless body. It was like a fresh of breath air… it almost brought tears to her eyes.

Seeing him stand there in front of her made her heart melt, she had been _so _lonely, she had thought of him _so much_, she had reminisced on their beautiful relationship so many times… that this was almost painful.

"I-I live here," She finally answered, becoming conscious of the fact that she was in her old sweats and a worn out parka, with absolutely no makeup on and old runners.

Lucas had noticed the same thing. He had never seen her so dressed down, the Brooke Davis he remembered always looked good, composed, and dressed well. And even though it was always minimal, she always wore makeup. But today, there was nothing on her face, and her face looked so tired and drained of the life she once radiated. _This was not his Brooke Davis, what had she done to her._

_Brooke lived in this little town? What were the fucking chances? The girl that tore his heart to shreds and betrayed him was now face to face with him. He had thought about this moment so many times. What she would say, how she would possibly try to explain herself, but he knew that there was nothing she could ever say that would've explained this to him. _

_He absolutely despised her._

Lucas shook his head, and turned to walk away.

"_Lucas_,"

He heard her say his name, so he stopped in his tracks but didn't bother turning around, waiting for her to continue.

Seconds passed by but when she didn't continue, he snorted bitterly, before walking away.

Brooke sighed as she watched him walk away from her, _there were so many things she wanted to say, but nothing left her lips. What could she really say? She missed him? That she wanted to explain why she left him? Nothing she said would've changed anything._

_Because the truth was, she was a mother now and she was married. Nothing she could say would help anything because the truth remained... she left him without a word and committed her life away. _

_Do the chairs in your parlor seem empty and bare__  
__Do you gaze at your doorstep and picture me there__  
__Is your heart filled with pain, shall I come back again__  
__Tell me dear, are you lonesome tonight_

* * *

"_I'm so sorry, babe." Lucas insisted trying to wrap his arms around Brooke._

_She pulled away stubbornly, "What the hell, Luke? It's our one year anniversary, and you said we would have the whole day to ourselves! And now you bring in some random crap about a meeting?" _

_Lucas sighed, "I know Brooke, but it's not my fault! You think I WANT to go to a meeting when I had a whole planned with you?" He exclaimed._

_Brooke shook her head, "It's not fair! We both took the day off for this, they can't just expect to throw a meeting at you and force you to go. I've been looking forward to this Luke," She groaned sadly, "We have so much stuff planned for the day how can you do this to us!" She pouted._

_Lucas sighed, and knew that as soon as the cute little puppy eyes and pout came out, he was fighting a losing battle. He felt his heart melt as he accepted defeat, "Alright babe, I'll tell them I can't make it." _

_Brooke squealed as she jumped him happily, "Really? Thank you so much! I love you Luke!" She laughed, as she put little butterfly kisses all around his face._

_Lucas smiled as he wrapped his arms around her waist and held her in his arms, before walking her to the bed, "Show me," He winked playfully, before dropping on the bed with her. _

_Before he knew it, Brooke had them rolled around as she straddled his lap, "You make me feel like I need to earn what I want from you, it makes me feel like you don't care about little ole' me," She whispered in his ear, before taking a teasing nibble._

_Lucas groaned in desire, before his hand brought her face in front of him, "I love you, babe." He answered honestly, before she grinned and claimed his lips…_

* * *

_You know someone said that the world's a stage__  
__And each must play a part__  
__Fate had me playing in love you as my sweet heart  
Act one was when we met, I loved you at first glance__  
__You read your line so cleverly and never missed a cue_

Lucas heard a horn behind him which shook him out of thoughts quickly, looking up to see that the lights had turned green. _Why was he thinking about her! That was a long time ago; they were two different people now. Those were two careless people, young, and in love. It was all gone now. _

_He was still in shock from meeting Brooke. He hadn't seen her in over two years. She left him without a word, and now he sees her for the first time in some random little town in a grocery store?_

It felt so strange seeing her again, and he hated himself for the effect she still had on him. He hated _her_ for the effect she had on him. She had changed him whole life, he had never felt love and betrayal the way she had made him feel.

_Then came act two, you change and you acted strange__  
__And why I'll never know  
Honey, you lied when you said you loved me__  
__And I had no cause to doubt you_

He pulled up to the gate, and waited for the gate keeper to approach his car, _damn, _he thought, as he looked up to the mansion in front of him. "I have a meeting with Mr. Cohen," Lucas said to the gate keeper.

"And what's your name, sir?" The man asked.

"Lucas Scott."

The man nodded, before opening the gate for him. Lucas drove up to the humungous house, _I need to get this contract as soon as possible and get the hell out of this little town. _

Lucas was greeted by an assistant and led into the house, "Usually you'd be meeting him in his main home office on this floor, but Mr. Cohen is reading through some assignments in his upstairs office so he told me to send you right up." He explained as they made their way up the huge staircase, and Lucas tried to not look too impressed or stare at the beautiful interior of the house.

As Lucas entered the office he was surprised at how this Cohen guy looked. Lucas was expecting some old guy with a moustache and huge stomach awaiting him, but instead it was a guy who looked close to Lucas's age, and looked very well maintained.

He stood up as Lucas entered, "Welcome Mr. Scott, Jones informed me that you would be coming to discuss your project with me today." He greeted as they shook hands, "Please take a seat."

Lucas sat across him, "You can call me Lucas," He began.

"Well then, you can call me Nathan," He said with an amused brow.

"Alright Nathan, I'm here because obviously EY Inc is interested in a supplier relationship with Cohen Inc, due to your high reputable quality and service. That much is obvious. But to explain _why_ you should contract with us rather than other businesses, who might be interested in the same thing, is because EY inc is also a rapidly expanding corporation that is reputed to be a high quality and reliable business. We are currently number one in our area and surrounding areas, which I'm sure you know, as you agreed to meet us. This partnership would be profitable on both ends because we are willing to meet your prices, and our expanding business and reputation will prove to be an asset." Lucas finished strongly.

The amused look never left Nathan's face, "Good speech… but everything you told me was what I already knew. You didn't really give me anything new here but baseless promises." Nathan responded unconvinced, and Lucas suppressed the frown forcing its way to his face. He kept strong eye contact and didn't let his look falter.

"What else can I really add?" Lucas questioned boldly, "EY Inc is known for its profitable relationships with suppliers and buyers, we don't have one business relationship that went wrong or disappointing for either ends of the deal."

Nathan nodded, "Well Lucas, Cohen Inc is where it's at today because of the strategic relationships that we've built with very particular businesses. I don't settle for merely _profitable_ businesses, I need businesses that give me leeway for strengthening my untouched success in the steel industry. I have only ever associated with massive corporations who have been around for countless years, so I could analyze and consult their past financial reports and decisions to see if the company can give me what I want. Promises and an expanding is business is not enough for me to sign with the newly incorporated EY Inc. I'm sorry Scott, but I need more proof of this business and its skills if I'm taking a chance with a smaller and new corporation." Nathan replied with a shrug.

Lucas sat there almost speechless, _this was a very knowledgeable businessman for his age, and now Lucas saw clearly why he was a dominating figure in the steel industry. _

"Well Nathan, I'm confident enough in this company to know we're worth the risk. But since you need more to be convinced, I'm willing to prove it to you with any demands you have from us."

Nathan nodded, "I've looked through some of your reports and I'm willing to consult with you on a few of EY Inc's business decisions that caught my eye. If you agree with some of these decisions and you can justify some of the numbers on your financial reports than I can consider if you will actually be an asset to Cohen Inc. I can try to fit in a meeting or two every week whenever I find time. The reason why I'm giving you this chance to prove your company to me is because I admire the confidence you hold in this corporation and would love to see if the bold promises you've made hold any weight." Nathan explained with an amused smirk.

Lucas nodded, standing up, "Thanks a lot Nathan," He said as they shook hands, "I really appreciate this opportunity and can promise that you won't regret it."

Nathan nodded, "I trust that you can find your way back outside" Nathan asked, "I would walk you but I'm really crammed with work and meetings right now."

Lucas nodded, "Don't worry about,"

As soon as Lucas left the office he felt the frown mask his face, _fuck. _Lucas was hoping this would be a quick meeting, he'd convince Nathan and it would be a done deal. But this is starting to look like he will be hanging around this town for a few weeks. Nathan definitely had a good head on his shoulders in this business world and seemed highly experienced and intellectual for his age. Lucas had to have Jones fax over all the details of EY Inc's finances and management to ensure that he had answers for all of Nathan's questions.

As Lucas made his way towards the stairway he heard an all too familiar giggle. Lucas stopped dead in his tracks and felt his heart freeze in his chest.

Without thinking he felt his feet move towards the noise and found himself walking down the hall towards a colourful door that had finger paint of little toddlers all around it decorating it in bright colours. He pushed the door to open slightly and what he saw almost took his breath away completely.

There Brooke was on her knees, with a smudge of pink paint on her nose, her hair tied back, a crayon in her hand and giggling as two toddlers scribbled all over a huge white sheet hanging on a little board. _It was the exact same giggle that always managed to take his breath away. His heart squeezed painfully in his chest._

_Now the stage is bare and I'm standing there  
With emptiness all around  
And if you won't come back to me  
Then they can bring the curtain down_

"Brooke," He heard it roll out of his mouth before he could stop himself, and the noise of her laughter stopped immediately as she froze.

Without turning around… she knew who it was.

Slowly he saw her turn to him and her eyes widened, "Lucas?" She said as she stood up quickly, "What are you doing _her_e?"

"I was here for a meeting…" He answered still in shock, "What are _you doing here?_" He demanded.

She looked down at the twins, who looked up at Lucas curiously, "I _live_ here."

Lucas felt like he had been hit by a speeding bus and it had finally hit him, _Brooke_ was married to _Nathan!_

He felt his hand curl into a fist, "Oh," Was all that he managed to reply with.

They stood there for what felt like forever, her eyes locked with his, both equally shocked to be standing face to face in her home, in her new life.

"Lucas, you should go," She whispered finally, before calling a nanny to watch the children before leading him downstairs. They walked in silence, both equally at a loss for words.

When they finally reached the front door, he finally spoke again, "I'm staying at the hotel ten minutes away from here, well the _only_ hotel in this town… I want you to come meet me there tomorrow." He finally said, unsure of why he was asking her to come, but knowing he needed her to.

Brooke was completely taken back by his request, and her heart churned longingly, "Lucas… I can't do that, I'm sorry." She replied painfully, before turning to leave.

But before she could get far she felt his hand encircle around her wrist and pull her back to face him, "_Brooke_," He whispered sternly, causing Brooke's heart to flutter hearing her name out of his lips like it always did with him… all these old feelings and emotions that she didn't know she'd feel again were right here in front of her.

"Lucas… I _can't."_ She whispered, but it didn't come out as convincing this time as she attempted to pull her wrist out of his grasp but to no avail. She looked over her shoulder, afraid that one of the housemaids would walk past them and see them like this. But Lucas had a firm grip on her wrist that he wasn't willing to loosen.

"You're meeting me there tomorrow, 12pm sharp. And that's _final."_ He ordered his voice cold and stern.

"But-…"

"See you tomorrow, Brooke. I'll be waiting for you." He whispered in her ear, causing shivers to run down her spine, and within seconds he had let go of her wrist and was gone.

Brooke watched him go with a frown on her face. It hurt to watch him go; the few minutes he spent in this house with her finally had made her feel like it was a home. Having the twins and Lucas in the same place with her… she had finally felt complete, even if it was for a fleeting moment. She was unable to control the rapidly thumping heart in her chest, having him here, having him say her name… having his hand around her wrist… it was like an overwhelming wave of emotions.

Sadness, happiness, remorse, excitement, guilt… and _love_

And even though her head screamed that going to meet him would be a bad idea… she already knew that there was no way she wouldn't go. She thought he would hate her, and maybe a part of him did… but his asking her to come over… there was no way she would be able to resist.

The loneliness and longing she had felt over the last two years… there was no way she would skip this opportunity to spend time with him.

It was so wrong… but it felt so right.

_Is your heart filled with pain, shall I come back again  
Tell me dear, are you lonesome tonight_


	5. Cause Everytime We Touch

"Why." He whispered, as she stood across the counter from him. It was more of a statement than a question. She winced, unable to look him in the eye.

He had the coffee maker on, and it was currently brewing two cups for them, but it was more of a formality that just pointed out the world of differences between them. It seemed like they were just playing a part.

And his question was enough to suffocate her. She felt her heart pick up speed and she felt her mouth dry up. That one word rang between them, making it almost deafening.

"_Brooke. _Please."

"Lucas… I had no other option." She finally managed to whimper.

She saw Lucas's hand curl into a painful fist on the countertop, and she knew she had said the wrong thing.

"No other option? Really? Did someone have a fucking gun to your head?" He growled angrily.

Brooke took a step back, "I… you don't understand Lucas."

"You're right; I don't understand why you left me without a fucking _word_. Could've even texted me, 'hey Lucas, I'm going to go marry my brother-in-law, nice knowing you.'" He snorted, mockingly, as he put the two cups of coffee between them on the counter.

Brooke felt a tear escape her eyes before she could control the effect his words had on her, and it slid down her cheek painfully, feeling the cruelty cut into her, "I needed to do this for the twins, they _needed _a mom, I couldn't let them live with a man who didn't tend to them, I couldn't do that to _Haley_."

"And you needed to fucking _marry_ him to take care of them? You couldn't do that to Haley, yet you could break _my_ fucking heart, you could do that to _me?_ What did I do wrong?" He demanded, there was a weird coolness in his voice… like the calm before the storm.

"Lucas I can't do this-…" She began. And sure enough, the storm followed.

"Fucking _ANSWER ME!_" He shouted as he threw his coffee cup off the counter to go crashing against the wall, with so much force that it shattered into a hundred pieces, and the coffee to be sprayed all across the wall.

"I need to leave," Brooke exclaimed as her eyes widened, before turning to leave.

But he had already stormed past the counter, grabbed her arm and turned her to face him, "BROOKE!" He yelled, Brooke struggled to get out of his grasp but he had her trapped between the counter and his larger frame, "I _need_ to fucking know, what was wrong with _me?_ Why wasn't I good enough! _Why wasn't our love strong enough?_" He demanded with a pained voice.

She stopped struggling in his arms and froze, as she looked up into his eyes for the first time.

_I still hear your voice, when you sleep next to me.  
I still feel your touch in my dreams.  
Forgive me my weakness, but I don't know why  
Without you it's hard to survive._

"Luke," she whispered, for the first time in the 2 years actually having to come face to face with the pain and heartbreak she has caused him. This guy in front of her, the one she had loved with all her heart… she made him question their love, "This decision had _nothing _to do with our love," She whispered, her hand raising to cup his cheeks, "There was nothing wrong with our love, the decision I had to make had to do with my love for my sister. _You_ did nothing wrong, it was all me, _I _wronged you, I wronged our love."

His tight hold on her arms loosened, "You were _unfaithful_, Brooke. You were unfaithful to me, and you were unfaithful to our love. I just can't accept that there was no other way. You gave up on us, and that is one thing that I could never forgive you for,_ never._" He told her, his heartbreak evident in his cold eyes.

Tears brimmed in her eyelids, "Lucas, everything happened so fast, they made me feel that it was the best thing I could do for Haley. You think I wanted to marry him? You think I wanted to leave you? I loved you, I loved my life, but I had to sign all that away with that marriage certificate, for the _twins_. Haley lost her life for them, she knew that carrying them to term would mean her life was at risk… yet she still did, she wanted to give these babies life, she loved them more then she loved her own life. She died, Lucas… she died for _them_, so how could I be so selfish to choose my own love and my own life over the children she lost her life for. I'm her baby sister, she took care of me and looked after me all my life… and now it's my turn to take care of her children." She explained, her eyes pleading for him to understand.

"She got married, yet her love for you didn't change, she didn't need to take you with her to take care of you. Just like you didn't need to marry Nathan and live with the twins to love them, and to raise them. You could've fought for some sort of joint custody between your family and him, or you could've been in their life without even living with them, don't you get it Brooke, you didn't need to choose between our love and your love for your sister. Yet you did, you discarded us without a second thought." He growled, his arms still securely holding her in place, but it didn't matter, she wasn't attempting to leave anyways.

It felt so unbelievably good to be so close to him. Even though he was so angry at her, just to be held by him, to have his body so close to hers, to be able to look into his eyes… it made her feel more alive than she had for a long time now.

"I'm so sorry, Lucas." She whimpered, "I can't change what happened… those are my children now, I need to leave, I can't be here with you."

His hold on her hardened, "Brooke, you still love me." He said, surely.

Brooke felt her heart squeeze in her chest, "Lucas, I need to-…."

"Brooke, you wouldn't have come today if you didn't, you wouldn't be here, standing so close to me, looking at me the way you used to… I _know_ you still love me." He insisted, as Brooke couldn't meet his eye anymore.

"Let me go, please," she asked desperately, she _needed _to get away from him, her emotions were beginning to cloud her reason, her heart was beginning to triumph her brain… she _needed _to leave.

"Brooke, you're not going anywhere until you admit it, not to me but yourself, because I _know_ you do, but I want you to acknowledge it."

Brooke shook her head and tried to push away from him but he just held her closer, and lowered his face to hers, and Brooke felt her breath get caught in her throat, her heart thumping loudly against her chest and she prayed that he couldn't feel it.

"Brooke, tell me you _don't_ love me then, I know you can't." He whispered in her ear, causing shivers to run down her spine.

"Luke," She pleaded, and she wasn't sure she wanted him to move away from her anymore.

He neared his lips treacherously close to hers, "Brooke, _say it_."

Brooke could barely breathe now, this was all too surreal… she had longed for him so much, she had been so lonely… she wanted him so bad.

A tear escaped her eyes as she felt his lips press against hers, and hers responded eagerly against his. It was like a spark had ignited, and their lips pressed against each other's desperately and longingly, it had been so long… _so long_…

_'Cause everytime we touch, I get this feeling.  
And everytime we kiss I swear I could fly.  
Can't you feel my heart beat fast, I want this to last.  
Need you by my side._

It was like all reason, all caution, and all thought of wrong and right had left the window, as their lips opened to accept each other. Tears continued to escape her closed eyes, as she wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling him closer. One of his arms wrapped tightly around her waist, as the other cupped her cheek affectionately. Neither of them pulled away, but continued to pull each other as close as possible, wanting to feel their bodies pressed tightly against each other, for there to be no room between them.

_'Cause everytime we touch, I feel the static.  
And everytime we kiss, I reach for the sky.  
Can't you hear my heart beat so...  
I can't let you go.  
Want you in my life._

He lifted her up in his arms, with one arm holding her against him as the other swiped her abandoned cup of coffee off the counter before placing her on it and made his way down her neck, sucking gently on the flesh between her neck and shoulders, causing moans to leave her lips. She held a fistful of his hair, pushing him closer to her neck, while the other ran down his arm to his hand and clasped her fingers around his.

"Luke," She moaned, completely lost in his touch.

"Brooke, I need you," He whispered urgently, and finally it dawned on Brooke the reality of the situation. She opened her eyes and finally realized the situation she was in… _she was sitting on the counter, with broken pieces of their cups decorating the floor, their coffee sprayed over the wall and floor… and making out with Lucas._

"Lucas… stop," She said suddenly, trying to push him off her.

Lucas ignored her, wrapping his arms affectionately around her, placing light kisses along her jaw line.

It calmed her instantly, she relished the feeling of being in his arms, the loneliness and sadness she's been living with had finally disappeared. She found herself wrapping her arms around him as well, resting her head on his shoulder and closing her eyes.

_Your arms are my castle, your heart is my sky.  
They wipe away tears that I cry.  
The good and the bad times, we've been through them all.  
You make me rise when I fall._

Even though every part of her body was screaming for her not to stop him, she had to be strong. _This wasn't fair._

Why did she suddenly feel so _guilty_? Nathan and her did not love each other, she wasn't even sure if he even liked her, their marriage was just for the twins… but why did she feel so _wrong_ about this. This wasn't fair to Nathan, her, Lucas… or the twins.

"Lucas," she finally said sternly, pushing herself off the counter and causing him to step back. She finally stepped away from him, her hand out in front of her, acting almost as a barrier between them.

He reached out for her, "Brooke-…" He began, but she took another step back to keep the distance.

"Stop! Don't you see, everything has changed now… I have children and I'm married… this isn't right." She whimpered tearfully, it was tearing her apart inside knowing what she was saying, and how it hurt him.

Before he could say anything, she had grabbed her purse and almost ran out of there. Lucas felt the anguish in his heart… the way only Brooke Davis had ever been able to cause him.

Nathan watched as Hale scribbled on the paper as if writing his first exam. His brow was furrowed and he was in full concentration mode, as if tremendous amount of thought went into what he was doing… and one wrong move could completely destroy it. Nathan had been walking towards his home office, when he caught a glimpse of Hale in the playroom. And usually, Nathan didn't pay too much attention, but today he stood in the doorway, curious at the level of concentration oozing out of the room.

Finally, Nathan had decided he would go see what it was that Hale was so serious about. He stepped into the room quietly, making sure not to catch Hale's attention and slowly neared him and took a look over his shoulder.

Nathan saw a bunch of scribbles that resembled nothing whatsoever, and he felt a something build up inside his throat.

"Hale," He finally said, startling the little boy, "What is it that you're working on?"

"A report!" He exclaimed proudly.

And that's when it finally dawned on Nathan, Hale was imitating Nathan! He was working on a report, which is always what Nathan would say when they would ask Nathan to play with them, and before Nathan knew it, he felt the chuckle building up in his throat leave his mouth, and he laughed.

Hale looked at him suspiciously at first, not used to ever seeing Nathan like this… but within seconds he joined in, giggling along with Nathan.

Nathan recalled the faces of concentration that Hale had been making when working on the 'report', and Nathan couldn't help it, knowing that Hale was imitating him surprisingly made him laugh.

He lifted his hand out and Hale high fived him before beaming at his masterpiece. They didn't even notice that Brooke had arrived at the doorway, shocked to see Nathan actually in the kids playroom. This was the first time she had seen him there, and to see the father son genuinely chuckling together surprised Brooke. She momentarily forgot what had just happened as she just stood there watching Hale so pleased to be having his fathers attention.

She didn't know how to feel.

Nathan finally noticed her standing at the door, and as Hale came running to wrap his arms around her legs excitedly, Nathan stood up, standing awkwardly amidst the toys and paintings of the playroom, looking well beyond out of place in his neat business suit and stiff demeanour.

They didn't speak a word as Brooke knelt down to lift Hale into her arms, "Look mommy," He said, pointing toward the drawing him and Nathan had been laughing over earlier. Brooke grinned at him, praising his work, when she heard Brookie stir in the crib to the left of Nathan.

They both turned at the same time, and Nathan noticing that Brooke had her hands full, stepped forward hesitantly. He looked down at Brookie, who opened her eyes to look up at him in a daze. Her face wrinkled in confusion as Nathan lifted her out of the crib.

Brookie looked at him unsurely for a few seoncds, before turning searchingly towards Brooke, and as soon as she spotted her, she began to wale, stretching her arms towards Brooke.

Nathan knew he had no reason to be surprised by this, since Brooke had been taking care of the twins ever since they were two weeks old… but he felt a pang of hurt, realizing that his twins with Haley cared more about Brooke than their own father.

And for the first time in the two years, he realized that he let Haley down.

"_Please, l-love… them… N-Nate," _He remembered Haley breathe out painfully, the horrible day that he had held her in his arms for the last time. The plea in her voice, the pain… it spoke volumes. Yet he was too deaf to hear it. He had felt that giving them all the riches of the world, every toy, everything his money could buy… this huge home… everything a kid could want… was enough. But as Brookie pushed away from him, crying for Brooke to pick her up… he realized he had failed Haley.

He felt Brooke take her from his arms, and she calmed almost instantly, as Brooke hummed lightly to her, rocking her back and forth.

Nathan didn't say a word, as he slowly left the room, pain etched onto his face.

Brooke watched him leave, confused with how she felt about what had just happened.. It felt like Nathan was playing with _her_ children, children that she was so protective of, she didn't want Nathan to just give Hale attention one day and then disappear back into his work like nothing ever happened… she didn't want him to be playing with their emotions like that. She didn't want him to make Hale laugh and feel special, if he was only going to turn his back on him and go back to how things were

But another stinging thought tore into her, it was _his_ kids, and _she_ was the only one that didn't naturally fit into the picture she saw in front of her. This was Haley's picture perfect family moment… the man she loved, with their children. _She_ was the younger sister who was stepping into a role that wasn't naturally hers.

But Brooke struggled with that thought too, because in her heart she knew that regardless of whether she gave birth to the twins, she _did_ feel like they were hers. She didn't feel like she was merely taking care of her sisters children, they were much more than that. She loved them with all of her heart; she could do anything for them. Hell, she had left her whole life behind her for them.

But why did seeing Hale with Nathan seem to cause these weird feelings in the pit of her stomach. Why had she suddenly wanted to rush in there and gather Hale into her arms, and away from Nathan? Why was it that this bothered her so much?

And suddenly her previous guilt of being with Lucas vanished and it replaced with anger towards Nathan, _the reason that bothered her so much was because Nathan had barely acknowledged the twins since they've been born;_

_He is a Failure of a father; he abandoned his twins… just like he had abandoned Haley._ Brooke felt her fist clench into a tight fist, _for god's sake, Haley was pregnant when he abandoned her for months! Haley died longing for her husband, but his goddamn business and work was too important to him._

_He was a failure of a husband, and a failure of a father._

And suddenly, Brooke didn't feel so bad about her moment with Lucas… _why should she feel bad, when she didn't owe anything to Nathan anyways. It wouldn't affect the kids because it wasn't like she was betraying their family… because Nathan didn't fit into their family. Their family included Brooke and the twins. Nathan wasn't a father to the children and she as sure hell did not consider him her husband. _

He had barely even talked to her in the last two years, he probably considered her as another one of the nannies and caretakers in the house.

Nathan sat in his office chair, his forehead wrinkled in confusion. _What was he doing? He had already lost Haley to his work, and now he's lost their children too. The look on Brookie's face when he had lifted her out of the crib… and the way she had squirmed in his hold, trying to get to Brooke… _it finally hit him.

_What have I done?_

Nathan leaned his head into his hands, _I'm so sorry Haley. _


	6. All She Knows

"Johnson, where are the twins?" Brooke asked, having come out of her shower to find the playroom empty. The housekeeper, who was supposed to have watched the kids while she was busy, looked back at her sheepishly.

"Mr. Cohen came by about five minutes ago and said he was taking them to the towns park,"

Brooke frowned, _what the-… _"Why the town's park, don't they usually play at the park that was constructed specifically _for them_ in the backyard?"

He shrugged clueless, and Brooke glared at the empty playroom, _what the hell is this crap? He just takes the twins out without even informing me? _A part of Brooke knew that he has equal if not more right to take them wherever he pleases, but an angrier part of her dismissed that notion, _I raised them, they have only even seen me as any type of guardian… they feel uncomfortable around him… so how the hell does he just take them to the park. _Brooke worried about the twins, she remembered the way Brookie had cried in his arms and reached out for her… and Brooke's heart ached… _what if Brookie is searching for Brooke, what if she feels scared being without her._

_How dare he take the children like that?_

Brooke closed her eyes and took a deep breath… she was lonely in this world before, but at least she knew she always had the kids, but now, not having them around her all the time was making this much lonelier. _Lucas… I miss you. _

_Once again you're home alone  
Tears running from your eyes  
And I'm on the outside  
Knowing that you're all I want  
But I can't do anything  
I'm so helpless baby_

"Me!" Hale squealed, as Nathan gently pushed the swing from behind.

"Me higher!" Brookie exclaimed giggling as the twins swung side by side at the park.

It had been awkward at the beginning when he told the twins he would take them to the park and Brookie had clung to Johnson's legs tightly, who had been watching over them as Brooke had been in her room. Nathan had felt ashamed, watching his daughter feel more comfortable with the housekeeper them him once again, but Hale had been easier to convince. And when he had Hale convinced, he was able to tempt Brookie to want to come along just because Hale was. And it was adorable how kids worked, because even though Brookie didn't feel comfortable around him, as soon as she saw that Hale was about to go out with Nathan, she immediately wanted to come along as well.

And when Nate had extended his other hand for her to hold, she had eyed him hesitantly, looking back at Johnson one more time, before ultimately taking it. And now Nathan watched them giggle preciously as they swung back and forth at the town's park –a park that Nathan himself had visited as a young child. It was so weird for Nathan to look around the old park… everything was the same. Aside from a few new benches and a reconstructed slide, this park was the same as it was when he was Hale and Brookie's age.

When he let Hale and Brookie off the swings they made their way towards the sand box excitedly.

Nathan felt a squeeze in his heart as he was brought back to a time almost three years ago;

_Haley knelt down beside the young child as Nathan looked on with a smile, "Hey princess, what are you making here?" She asked, fondly._

_The girl blushed, as she shyly looked upon her drawing in the sand, "It's a dinosaur," She finally said._

_Nathan smiled up at the little girl's grandmother who watched grinning as Haley interacted with the girl._

"_Oh wow! That a really scary one! What shall we name this dinosaur hmm?" _

_The girl looked back at it happily, "I know! Timothy!" _

_Haley grinned, "Done!" She exclaimed before raising her palm for a high five, which the girl gave happily._

"_You're absolutely wonderful with kids, sweetheart!" the lady gushed, as Haley stood up and Nathan's arm found its way comfortably around her waist._

"_It's because she's getting ready for her own," Nathan grinned proudly at her, as Haley blushed._

"_Your granddaughter is adorable," Haley acknowledged, as the lady looked fondly at the girl playing in the sandbox._

_The lady smiled, "She is, and congratulations, maybe when your baby is born they might be good friends!" _

_Nathan could see Haley's eyes light up, "I would love that, they could have little sandbox dates! Looks like I'll be seeing you often then." _

_As they said their goodbyes, Nathan wrapped his arms around her tiny frame from behind, placing his hands gently on her growing stomach, "Babe, you're going to be the best mom,"_

_She leaned into his chest, "And you're going to be the best dad," She whispered as he kissed her cheek, "I'm so glad our children will grow up in the town that you've grown up in as well, you have so much history here, you've done a lot for this place… everyone here adores you…our children will be lucky to call you their dad." She said lovingly, as she turned around and cupped his cheeks in her hands._

_Nathan felt his eyes soften, "You're amazing, you know that." _

_Her smile was interrupted as Nathan leaned down and captured her lips with his own._

"No Hale, mine!" Brookie wailed loudly, breaking Nathan out of his thoughts, as they pulled at a pale of sand back and forth.

Nathan blinked back unshed tears, as he kneeled next to them, the same place him and their mom had once stood, while they were still growing in her stomach, where they had imagined the twins playing in the sandbox just as they were in this exact moment… yet little did they know then… that _Haley_ would be missing from the picture that had so fondly drawn of their lives together.

"Hale, c'mon buddy, you need to share with your sister," He said, as Hale looked up at him. Hale immediately let go of the pale and beamed up at his father, happy to have attention. Nathan grinned as he took out his palm for a high five, "Good boy!" he exclaimed. Watching Hale high five Nathan, Brookie imitated him and reach over to brush her little palm against Nathan's as well, and Nathan laughed. Brookie looked up at him shyly and he grinned at her, "Brookie's a good girl too!"

_I'm sorry Haley for being so angry that I neglected the two precious children that we had created with so much love. I've let myself down, but most importantly I've let you and the twins down. You are my family, I will right this wrong… I will give all my love to our children, enough for you and me both._

They heard the sound of an ice-cream truck go by and their eyes lit up, looking hopefully up at Nathan and he nodded, "That's right guys, its ice cream time!" he laughed as the twins ran over into his arms and he carried them toward the street.

"Brooke, there is a client waiting in Mr. Cohen's office that said he was scheduled for a meeting today." Johnson explained, as he approached her.

Brooke rolled her eyes, "Well isn't that irresponsible of Mr. Cohen, you can tell the client that he's out, and you are not sure when he will be back."

"He requested that he at least speak to you regarding the rescheduling,"

"What the hell, I don't know anything about anything in that office, I can't help at all," Brooke exclaimed, as she uncrossed her legs from the couch and stood up, "I'll deal with it Johnson, thanks."

Brooke was very annoyed by the whole situation, he was gone out with the twins _and_ now she had to deal with his mess up. She entered the office, and found no one sitting there, "Where the hell…" She began but was cut off when she found herself being pulled in from behind the door and crushed against the wall beside it, a hand to her lips and familiar eyes staring into hers.

She took a moment to regain her breath, before pulling his hand off her in surprise, "Lucas! What are you doing here?" She asked glancing at the glass door of the office to ensure no one had seen them.

He smirked, "_This," _He said, as he lowered his mouth onto hers. It knocked the wind out of her, and she felt her knees weaken and her hands held onto his strong arms to stable herself. It took her a moment to pull away, and her hand pressed against his chest keeping him at distance.

"Luke!" She insisted, "We can't do this… what happened yesterday-…"

"Brooke, don't you _dare _tell me that was a mistake. That was _real, _that was _real_ emotion, _real _love… so don't insult us like that." He growled.

_You've been livin this way so long  
You don't know the difference  
And it's killing me_

"Luke, that's not what I meant… you know it's obvious how I feel… it's obvious that I _want _you too. But I'm not the same person now; I'm not the same Brooke!" She whispered, glancing toward the door again guiltily, "But Lucas this is _not_ the place to talk about this, you need to leave or at least let me leave if you're waiting for Nathan." She said as she tried to make her way past him.

His hold on her tightened, "Nothing has changed how we feel about each other," He insisted firmly, "I won't let you waste your life like this… unhappy and oppressed in a loveless marriage!"

He could see the loneliness in her eyes, he could see the absence of the shine in her eyes that his Brooke had, and he wanted to protect her, he _needed_ to bring that back.

Brooke's eyes brimmed with tears, "This is my life now, Luke."

"No Brooke, you are not forced to choose, you can have it all babe," He whispered in her ears, causing a shiver to run down her spine. His hands slowly moved his way down her arms and onto her waist, pushing his body against hers, her hands found their way from pushing on his chest to finding their way up to his cheeks as he pressed gentle butterfly kisses against her neck.

She felt herself weaken as she glanced toward the door once more, "Nathan could be home any moment," She warned almost breathlessly, affected by his closeness and gentle lips more than she was willing to admit.

"So?" He asked, closing his mouth on the flesh between her shoulder and neck possessively, causing her to moan involuntarily.

"You… need to leave," She managed, and even though she was asking him to leave, her hand had found his head and grabbed a fistful of hair, pushing him closer to her neck.

Having his body pressed up against her was enough to make her hot and bothered, but the way his hands were roaming her body made it almost unbearable.

His hands inched their way up to her breasts, and she felt her breath get stuck in her throat… he nibbled lightly on her neck while she moaned in pleasure, "Luke… what-…"

"Shh," He whispered against her collarbone, as one hand grabbed the back of her thighs and pulled her up to wrap her legs around his waist, pressing into her, "I missed you," He whispered.

Brooke moaned in longing, "Luke…"

He nuzzled into her neck, "Oh god Brooke, you still have the same affect on me," He groaned in desire.

In that moment she had completely forgotten everything else, her surroundings, her guilt, and all else reason, in that moment she was Brooke Davis… the Brooke Davis who worked with Lucas Scott, who was madly in love with him… who had control of her life and knew exactly how her future was going to look… before her world crashed around her.

She threw one last look at the door before her eyes clouded over in desire, as he roughly pulled her against him, his hand slipped up her shirt and towards her breasts. She moaned against his touch, as she he pressed into her, keeping her tight in between his body and the wall, "I love you," He whispered.

_Cause you can have so much more  
I'm the one you're looking for_

"Johnson!" They heard the twins exclaimed loudly downstairs as Brooke and Lucas could hear them run excitedly into the house. Brooke's eyes opened wide immediately and it was like a bucket of cold water as she realized that she was pressed up against the wall by Lucas… in _Nathan's _office, and his hand up her shirt.

_Nathan and the twins were downstairs! _

Lucas released her and she immediately pushed away from him in panic.

"Oh my god," She whispered, a hand to her mouth.

"Brooke, don't be scared-…"

"He can't see us like this!"

"Brooke don't you think it's time to end this game and let him know that you're done with this life?" Lucas questioned.

Brooke shook her head in worry, "Lucas, _please_… this can't happen like this… he can't see us."

_But you close your eyes on me  
So you still can't see_

Lucas sighed in defeat.

"Okay Brooke, fix your appearance and I will wait here for the meeting as planned, and you head out," He instructed as he wiped his lips and fixed his tie, before wiping the edges of Brooke's mouth with his finger, "Don't worry babe, it'll be fine," he whispered in her ear and placed a gentle kiss against her forehead, before taking his seat.

Brooke felt her heart pounding in her chest, as she ran a hand through her hair and fixed her shirt, she hurriedly turned to open the door to leave, where she came crashing into Nathan.

He steadied her with her arm and looked down at her in confusion, "Brooke?"

She could almost feel Lucas's glare from behind her, and she quickly pulled out of Nathan's arm, "Uhm… I'm sorry… he was waiting here… and-and I told him to wait because you should be right back." She mumbled as she pushed past him quickly.

He watched her go puzzled, but by then Lucas had stood and brought out his hand for a handshake, "Hello Mr. Cohen," He greeted with a hidden smirk.

Just as Brooke had reached her room she felt arms wrap around both of her legs and she looked down at her smiling toddlers, "Mommy," They grinned, "We went park!"

Brooke felt her heart melt as she knelt down to them, "Hey babies,"

They wrapped their arms around her neck as she lifted them both, and Brookie yawned as Hale rubbed at his eyes, "Time for a nap!" Brooke carried them to their baby beds and placing kisses against both of their cheeks. She watched as they lay there, snuggling up to their own teddy bears. She sighed, _what was she doing? These twins were her world, but she couldn't bear to be away from Lucas anymore… she couldn't resist the love and passion she felt with him. She wanted both, but these were from two different worlds. Lucas was from her other world, the world where Brooke was independent and did as she pleased… this world… the world of being a mom… was completely different. She was legally married to Nathan; she was a wife and a mother in this world._

Brooke was torn in between her two worlds. She felt like she was being pulled from two different sides and she couldn't part from either of them. She loved these twins much more than them just being 'Haley's babies' like they were when she first agreed to this marriage, now they were _her_ children… _her _life.

Brooke felt a tear trickle treacherously down her cheek, _what am I going to do?_

When she had left the room after the twin s had fallen asleep, she found Lucas leaving Nathan's office, with Nathan following behind at the end of their meeting.

Lucas's eyes found hers, and he tried to keep them there but Brooke looked away ashamed, and Lucas felt a squeeze in his chest.

_All she knows is the pain  
In the corner of an empty home  
She's still comfortable  
I want her to know  
It can be better than this_

Later that evening, Nathan walked down the stairs as Brooke was sitting Hale and Brookie into their high chairs around the table for dinner time. The twin's eyes lit up at the sight of him, and when Brooke turned to see where their attention had turned to, her own smile fell. _Nathan never joined them for dinner at the table… it was always sent to his office when he was actually home._

He awkwardly advanced the table, taking a seat across hers, beside the twins, "I told Johnson to have my dinner served here," He informed quietly.

Brooke didn't reply, as she took her seat while Hale excitedly put his palm up for a high five. Immediately Nathan became more comfortable as he engaged Hale and Brookie in childishness. _What's going on here… what is he doing? _She looked at him suspiciously, aware that their last meeting was when she had bumped into him heading out of that office, likely looking as flustered as she had felt.

When the food was served, she picked up the fork to feed Hale and Brookie, and was surprised when he picked up the fork from Brookie's plate. She looked up at him questioningly.

"I'll help you," He shrugged.

And they proceeded with feeding the twins, probably looking as the perfect picture of family to an outsider… but Brooke felt anger beyond words.

_Two fucking years that he was nonexistent, and now he's all 'father of the year' on the twins. She was the only parent they had known growing up, and now he wanted to take part in their lives because of what? He doesn't deserve it after completely deserting them as babies; all he did was provide financially… he gave them no attention or affection. They used to feel so uncomfortable in his presence and now he takes them to the park as if they've been best of buddies._

"Brooke…" She heard him say, and looked up to meet his eyes, "Uh… I was thinking of taking Hale and Brookie to the town's annual Christmas party this year," He began uncomfortably, "I think they would love it, they could meet all the other children in the town and they would be excited to see all the lights and could take a picture with Santa… would you like to come?" He finally asked.

He knew he could've just taken the twins without inviting Brooke, especially since they didn't really have much of a relationship… they weren't even friends, it was like two acquaintances that lived in the same house, but even though they were his children, he couldn't deny that Brooke was the center of their world. They looked for her when they were scared, nervous, or hurt. He had to admit, she had raised them with much more love they he imagined capable for someone who wasn't their mother. And he did realize it would be very difficult to want to spend all his free time with the children if he didn't interact with their mother figure. _In his mind, he still couldn't refer to Brooke as their mother… because that will always be Haley. _And it was weird to hear the children call her mom, but he couldn't take that away from either of them. He was happy that his kids were still able to get that love even though Haley wasn't here anymore… and he did need to make an effort to at least be friendly with Brooke.

He could see that his question had completely thrown her off guard.

_What?_ This was the last think Brooke would've imagined from him. She was completely torn, she recalled being sad over how isolated the children were from the town at the grocery store that day… and she did want the twins to be a part of the towns Christmas this year… but to go with Nathan? She knew there was no way she could've taken them alone, she didn't know anyone and no one knew her… this was all too weird. But she didn't want them to be scared or sad without her there… nor did she want to spend Christmas day without them.

"Yayyyy!" The twins squealed, "Cwismas paty!"

Nathan grinned at them, and Brooke looked at them unsurely, "Uh… okay."

_What was going on here… what was Nathan up to?_

_She knows better but  
She can't help it  
Wanna tell her  
But would that be selfish  
How do you heal  
A heart that can't feel, it's broken_

_His love is all she knows, all she knows, all she knows_


End file.
